I am the Mockingjay
by Thalia the Huntress
Summary: It's amazing how two words can change a person's life forever. Maysilee Donner found out the hard way. When she was reaped for the 50th Hunger Games, she had to leave her entire life behind. Full Summary inside. Formerly known as Maysilee's Story.
1. The Reaping

**Discliaimer: Unfortunately, I do NOT own The Hunger Games (as much as I wish I do) and will never own The Hunger Games. But, hey. I can dream, right?**

**Formerly known as Maysilee's Story. Also edited.**

**Summary: When Maysilee Donner is reaped for the 50****th**** Hunger Games she must leave behind her family, her friends, and her entire life. Although she seems doomed in the midst of tragedy she finds something even better, and slowly a better life starts to rise out of the ashes of her old one. Details the 50****th**** Hunger Games from Maysilee's Point of View, and what happens after, which is something so unexpected it will shock everyone.**

**Also, this is my first story, so don't flame it too badly. **** Comments and criticism VERY MUCH accepted**

**Un-betaed so any mistakes are completely mine.**

It's really amazing how two simple words can change a person's life forever. I never did anything to deserve what I got, but somehow I was chosen anyway. That day started out like any other reaping did, but it ended in a huge disaster. I guess it was for the best in the end. I ended up in a much better place, free from all the suffering of my world. There is still hope for the world I came from, though, and if this message gets through I hope to be able to help. Who am I, and where am I now, you ask? All of this will be revealed in time, but for now I leave you with my story.

"May. MAY! Wake up." There were hands on my shoulders, shaking me awake. "You have to get up now."

"No." I replied blearily. "It's a Saturday."

"It's REAPING DAY, May. You have to get up NOW." I was awake now, and as my eyes cleared I found myself looking into my twin sister, Marielle's, eyes. She was already dressed, and probably had been for hours at this point, pacing and worrying about getting reaped. There was basically no chance of us being reaped this year, and she should know it as well as I did. We were only 16, after all, and only had 4 tokens each in the pool for the reaping, since we had never needed to take out tesserae. There was a very small probability of either of our names being drawn, but every year it still kept Marielle up at night every year, worrying over the next day's ceremony.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and stood up. I only then remembered that it was the 50th Hunger Games, and 4 names were going to be drawn this year. As I looked up, I could see the very same thought reflected in my twin's identical eyes. "Elle, nothing is going to happen, even if they are picking 4 people this year. I mean, we only have 4 tokens each. I heard that Jon Everdeen has 40 tokens, and he's only 17." I sighed, then headed over to my dresser to pull out my best dress.

Marielle watched me in silence. "I know that, but I still have a horrible feeling about today."

Satisfied with how my dress looked, I picked up my hairbrush and walked to the mirror. "Marielle Donner, you've said the exact same thing for the last 8 years, and has anything ever happened? No. So relax a little. Have a bit of fun today." I smiled and handed her the brush. "Here, can you braid my hair."

She quietly took the brush and started to do my hair, lost in thought. Finally she spoke up. "Maybe you're right." She whispered. "I guess I'll relax a bit."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Girls, it's time to go!" Our mother called up to us from downstairs.

"One minute, Mom!" I shouted back, then turned to my sister, compelled with a sudden urge to tell her something I hadn't told her since we were very young.

"I love you, Ellie. Whatever happens today, remember that, OK?" Then, without letting her reply, I grabbed her hand and dragged out of our room and downstairs to our waiting mother.

********

District Twelve was decorated beautifully, and, although it was starting to slide into disrepair, I never thought it had looked more beautiful than it did at the moment we stepped out into the sunlight. The houses and stores rose above me, and in the distance the woods rose beyond the Seam. Marielle and I ran through the streets in search of our best friend, Aurelia, so we could head to the Reaping. We found her mother sitting on the steps of her home.

"Hey Mrs. Hill. Do you know where Aurelia is?"

She looked up and smiled a weak smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "She's right inside girls."

We walked past her and into the house. "Lia?" I called. "Are you here?"

Her voice drifted down over the stairs. "Up here!"

Marielle and I leaped up the stairs and ran through the door to her bedroom. She was standing facing her mirror, holding up locks of her long blonde hair, as if deciding what to do with it. "Oh May, Elle, thank god you two are here. I can't decide what to do. I tried braiding it like you showed me how, but I can't quite get it." She was rambling, and I could tell she knew we were late.

Marielle quietly walked to her and took her hair. "Lia, promise you'll pay attention this time?" She said softly, and Aurelia nodded. As Ellie explained to her again how to do it I walked over to the window and curled up on the window seat so I could gaze out the window. There were people everywhere, all walking toward the square. There were some familiar faces, and some that weren't, but they were all wearing the same look of worried anxiety, as if they were headed to their doom. Which, at least for four of them, they were in a way.

Aurelia's voice drifted to me through my daze, and I shook my head. "What?"

"We have to go now." Aurelia repeated.

"Oh." I tore my eyes away from the window, and we headed down to join the crowd pooling in the square.

********

For the first time since we arrived, the crowd fell silent as the District 12 Representative stepped up to the microphone. As usual, I zoned out, ignoring the opening speech and choosing to wait until the most interesting part. My eyes flitted across the crowd, and I took in as much as I could.

My eyes settled on the boy's section, and I noticed quite a few interesting things. "Hey Ellie." I poked my sister. "The Undersee boy is staring at you." She didn't reply, even though I could tell she had heard me. I scanned the crowd, looking for another victim, and found something that was really very interesting. I turned to Aurelia and whispered in her ear. "Lia. Jonquil Everdeen is totally checking you out." I fully expected her to scoff and tell me to pay attention, but she surprised me when her face lit up, second before she turned bright red from embarrassment. "You like him? But he's from the Seam." I had nothing against the Seam, but usually Lia and Elle turned their noses up at the very thought.

"Shhh. Pay attention." She hissed at me, but I persisted, smirking.

"So Aurelia Hill likes a boy from the Seam." I taunted. "How far the mighty have fallen. You do realize that Archer Mellark likes you, right? I thought boys like him were usually more your type."

"Well you obviously thought wrong." She snapped, then added a little more softly, "And besides, Miryam Terran likes him, and you know what would happen if I got on the wrong side of her."

"Oh look, they're starting!" Marielle whispered, her excitement mixing with anxiety. "Pay attention, you two."

Up on the stage, they had started drawing names.

"Helena Mitchell!" The first name was called. It was a girl I knew from school, although she was slightly older than I was. She put on a brave face as she walked up to the stage, but I could tell that underneath it she was very shaken.

"And next a boy!" They dug around in the names and pulled one out. "Haymitch Abernathy." Good. I thought. If any single person deserved to be sent to the Hunger Games it was him. I had seen him around town, though I never saw him in school. He often looked down on us, as if we, the shopkeepers kids, were beneath him, with his wicked smile and dangerous Seam eyes. He was rude, crude, and obnoxious, but, as horrible as it sounds, I was glad to see him be chosen.

The man onstage was reaching into the girls names again, and time seemed to slow as he drew the tiny slip of paper. I watched, as if from far away as he prolonged the agony of one unlucky young woman. The restless crowd went quiet, and in the distance a mockingjay whistled a song. But even that stopped as his mouth opened, the mouth that opened and read the two horrible words that forever sealed my tragic fate.

"Maysilee Donner."

********

**So that's it for the first chapter! I tried to make it so Maysilee wasn't Mary-Sueish (that annoys me soooo much when the character is a Mary-Sue). For anyone who is wondering, Aurelia Hill is Katniss's Mom, Jon Everdeen is her dad, Marielle Donner and "the Undersee boy" are Madge's Parents, and Archer Mellark and Miryam Terran are Peeta's parents. I picked some of the names intentionally; Jonquil is a flower, Miryam means bitter (which Peeta's mom totally is), Aurelia means golden, and Marielle means uncertain, maybe bitter, which she sort of becomes later in life. So, press the little button down there and tell me what you think, (You know you want to), and I will see you later with the next chapter!**


	2. A Last Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I still don't own this series. I'll keep telling myself I do though, and maybe one day it will be true. (Ha-ha NOT).**

**Here's Chapter 2 (it will be named later) for anyone who is reading this story. And to koalakoala9836, troubadour12 and TeamPeetaKatniss (I'm totally for them too****) thanks for the great reviews. The overload of characters from the last chapter will most likely not be mentioned again after this point, but I just thought it would be cool to show how, even back then, all the adults in the trilogy interacted.**

**The only beta present in this story is Microsoft Word, so all mistakes are still completely mine.**

**And now here's the story!**

The rest of the day passed in a blur. After I stumbled up to the stage I was led to a waiting room where I could see my family and friends. I was too shocked to cry as my parents came in, followed by Aurelia, and then, finally, by Marielle. She sat down across from me and burst into tears. I was too shocked to understand at the time, but now I realized that her feeling had been right, and I had been chosen. I was going to die, and there was nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, that I could do about it. Marielle had stopped bawling at this point, but was still sniffling on the chair across from me, so I decided that it was time to speak up. "I'm so sorry I didn't trust you." I whispered.

"Oh May, it's not like you would have had a choice. It wasn't your fault you got chosen." She paused for a moment to get a deep breath.

"Ellie-"

But I didn't get a chance to finish. The guard burst in the door and told Marielle that her time was up. She stood up and reached over to hug me. Discreetly, so the guard couldn't see, she pressed a small cool object into my hand. "I ran back and took it from your dresser after they called your name."

I could tell by the shape that it was my lucky mockingjay pin. "I love you." I called after her. She turned around and mouthed the words back at me then smiled as she disappeared out of sight. That was the last time I ever saw her.

********

The train was set to leave at 7:00. While Helena, Haymitch, and the other boy disappeared into the train cars, but I stood at the back of the train, watching. Once everything was loaded onto the train a whistle sounded from the front car, and a sudden jolt told me that we were moving. My hand reached up to touch my pin as the train moved away. The train rolled along the track, and my home grew smaller in the distance. Fittingly, I could remember the chorus of a song that Marielle used to sing.

"_Look away to the west, will you see your homes again, or is this time to say your last goodbye"_

I knew for sure that this would be my last goodbye to my life in District 12. As we rounded a corner and I caught one last glimpse of my home I lifted my hand from the pin to my lips and blew a kiss into the wind streaming back toward the place I would never see again.

When I was sure District 12 was out of sight I turned, opened the door and headed into the train. The door slammed shut behind me and I walked down the hall between the cars until I reached the dining car. I was late, as usual, so I tried to close the door quietly and sneak toward the table.

"Miss Donner."

I smiled. "Sir."

"Please sit down." I sat. I looked around the table. Helena was leaning back, looking distant and cold, Haymitch had his feet propped up on the chair across from him, and the fourth tribute seemed depressed and was slouched in his chair.

"I'd like to introduce you to my new assistant. She will be taking over my duties as of next year's games. Miss Effie Trinket."

A short curvy girl who looked like she was around 19 flounced into the room. Her lime green curls were piled on top of her head in a messy bun. "Hi you guys! I'm Effie!"

We just stared at her. "Oh c'mon people. Cheer up! It's going to be sooooo much fun! These Hunger Games are going to be THE BEST YET! It's going to be so much more interesting with more people."

All of the tributes, including Haymitch, looked at Effie with a mixture of shock and disgust displayed clearly on their faces.

"What?!" She cried. I felt kind of bad for her, since she was obviously confused, but we all ignored her and turned back to our meals instead.

The rest of the meal passed in silence, and as soon as we were excused from the table I leapt up and ran to the room I had been assigned to during the train ride to the Capitol. I sat down on my bed and lifted up the suitcase of things my parents had brought me. I pulled the zipper and opened it up. Lying on top of the pile of clothes were my favourite jeans. My parents had forbidden me from wearing them around town, since they were "seam material" and they weren't girly enough. I guess they had wanted me to have comfort as I left them behind, this time for good. I will be fine. I will win the games, and not only will I survive, but I'll do it in a record time. I'll go back to District 12 and I will get to live in the Victor's Village. These were the only thoughts running through my head as I sat on the bed with the only pieces of home I had left. I laid down the jeans and picked up the vase on the table beside the bed. I stared at it for a minute, and then hurled it at the wall. It bounced off the wall and landed, unsatisfactorily whole, on the floor. Why was this happening to me? I didn't deserve this. I wasn't a bad person. Sure, I skipped school sometimes and I was rebellious, but I honestly didn't understand why I had been chosen. I screamed in frustration, and then stood up to pick up the vase. As I walked toward the wall my foot got caught in the rug and I fell. Hard.

"NO!" I screamed as my head slammed against my dresser. Stars swam in from of my eyes and I sank to the floor. Footsteps sounded out in the hall, but I tried to ignore it until the pounding in my head. I jumped as I heard a voice coming from the door.

"You know, Donner, if you get any stupider you'd have to be watered twice a week. I could hear you screaming from down the hall. They obviously don't have anything breakable in these rooms." Haymitch Abernathy was standing in all his glory at my door, showing off his perfect white teeth with a smirk and flashing his grey Seam eyes.

"Go away Haymitch. I'm busy now. Can I ignore you some other time?" I stayed with my back to him, hoping that he would go away.

"Ha." He laughed at me. "And lose my only source of entertainment on this whole damn trip? No way in hell."

"You are such a jerk!"

"We'll all be dead soon, so we might as well soak it up while it lasts. We have to respect the soon to be dead. Although, that's the only way I'll ever be able to respect you.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! GO AWAY YOU JERK." I screamed.

"Fine." He walked out into the hall, and then shouted back his only parting remarks. "Keep talking and one day maybe you'll say something intelligent."

I ignored him, and sitting on the floor, I burst into tears.

********

**So, there you have it! Chapter 2 is finished. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, then you know what to do! So, yes, Haymitch is indeed a big arrogant jerk, and Maysilee just doesn't pay attention to anything (including the fact that maybe this is just his way of coping?). You'll get to see a softer side of Haymitch in the next chapter, and maybe see something start to develop between them. As an incentive to comment, if you give me a review I, in exchange, will give you a little spoilery hint about what's to come! The next chapter should be up within a week, or sooner, depending on the amount of homework I have (by which I mean the more homework I have the higher the chance it will be out before the week is up). So, please comment, because you know that you want the spoiler.**


	3. Midnight Rendezvous

** So, Chapter 3 is now up! The spoiler-for-review bribe ends now, but reviews are still much appreciated! As promised, there will be more Maysilee and Haymitch in this chapter. The pre-training and training part will probably end up being dragged out longer, both because nothing can really happen between them in the arena, due to the cameras, and because I loaned my books out and haven't gotten them back yet. (I'll probably end up using an internet copy). Thank you to everyone who has added this story to their favourites list or to story and/or author alert! Now to end this long author's note and get to the story!**

That night, after I was sure that everyone had gone to sleep, I crept out of my room and snuck down the hall. I knew that I looked horrible, with my face tearstained, and a HUGE bruise on my forehead. I had to find some makeup to cover the bruise so the Gamemakers wouldn't be able to touch me with their horrible medicines and machines. God knows what they would do to me if they found the bruise. I knew, based on the way her face had looked at supper earlier, that Effie would have concealer and foundation that I could use to fix my face.

I would have to sneak into Effie's bathroom, since I knew she, as the District Assistant, would have her own private one, and take some of her makeup. She was the type of Capitol girl who was guaranteed to have a pile of makeup in her bathroom. It was a perfect plan, since she had probably taken sleeping pills to make sure she got her beauty sleep, but there was one major problem: I didn't know which room was Effie's. I would have to check all of the rooms along this hall, where we were all staying.

I knew Helena was staying in the room across the hall, and the fourth tribute slept with his door open. I crept down the hall, peering into the doors as I passed. I came to the first closed door and tried the handle. It was locked. I continued down the hall trying to be quiet. I tried all the closed doors. Some were locked, some weren't, but none of them were Effie's. I reached the end of the hall, and there were only 4 doors left. They were all closed, so I tried the first door, the one to my left. The door swung open soundlessly and I tip-toed toward the bed. The body of the person in the bed was facing the wall. I leaned over the bed and tried to see the face. I caught sight of the person's face and recoiled. It was Haymitch. I ran toward the door, but stopped with my hand in the handle as the sound of movement filled the quiet room. I slowly turned, and saw that Haymitch had turned over in his bed. He looked like he was still asleep, so I crept out of the door and turned to face the three that I hadn't tried. I knew one was Effie's door, one was empty, and that one was taken up by the District Rep. Saying a prayer under my breath and turned to the door. I opened it and stepped inside. Bingo! It was Effie's room. I slipped into the washroom and started rummaging through her stuff. I found what I was looking for and turned to leave. As I turned, my arm swung out and hit one of Effie's many makeup bags. It tipped over and the contents clattered to the floor. I froze, but Effie didn't move, didn't even wake. I knelt down and quickly shoved all the makeup back into the bag, and the put it back where it was. I then walked out of Effie's room and reclosed the door behind me before heading back down the hall toward the now deserted dining room. I had almost made it when I thought I heard footsteps following me down the hall. I whirled around, but there were just shadows. I must have been my imagination.

I made it to the dining room and curled up on one of the window seats. I leaned back against the wall and stared out the window. The world outside was flying by. It looked, to my sleep starved brain that we were somewhere near District 8. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the goods. I flipped open the mirror, but my gaze wasn't drawn to the ugly bruise on my forehead; it was drawn to the pale face behind me, as it was reflected in the mirror. I couldn't tell who it was. As I opened my mouth the scream a hand snaked out and covered my mouth.

"Shut up or you'll give us away!" The person (guess who) hissed. I grabbed the hand off of my face and turned to face Haymitch.

"I knew you were awake!" I whispered back.

"Obviously not, because if you had neither of us would be here right now. But I couldn't exactly let you know that I was awake, or I never would have found out what you were doing." He paused and looked at the makeup I held in my hand. "Why did you need Effie's makeup anyway? Other than the obvious, of course."

I glared at him, and then pointed at the bruise on my head. "This is why. I don't want anyone in the Capitol to touch me. Aurelia's parents are apothecaries and they've told me a lot about what Capitol machines can do to me."

His eyes grew wide as they adjusted to the dim light. He stared at my face. "Were you crying? Because I didn't mean what I said earlier. It was a joke."

I rolled my eyes and reluctantly moved over so he could sit down beside me. "As touching as that apology was, that wasn't why I was crying. It was a combo between slamming my head off of a solid wood dresser and the fact that there is a less a 3% chance that I will live to see my 17th birthday."

"Oh. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I probably won't either."

"You have a better chance than I do. At least you've had practice with weapons and stuff."

"I'm not holding out much hope. Not only are there twice as many people, but it also means that we're up against 12 careers."

We lapsed into silence as the full hopelessness of our situation sunk in. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he reached for my hand. I yanked it away and he sighed. "I wasn't trying to hold your hand. We don't like each other. Remember."

I was embarrassed now. "Oh."

He held his hand out. "Give me the makeup. I've done this once or twice before." I dropped the makeup into his hand and he dropped it on the seat before reaching his hand out again. A devilish smile crossed his face. "But you can hold my hand if you want to."

I smacked his arm and tried to feign disgust, but I couldn't help laughing with him. He opened the makeup and told me to sit forward. He worked in silence only stopping to tell me that I could see when he was done.

After about ten minutes he held up the mirror for me to see. My face looked perfect. "Thanks." I smiled. "You're an odd guy Haymitch."

"Thanks? I think?"

After a pause I asked, "Haymitch? What did you mean when-"

"When I said I had practice? My parents. That's why I was happy to have my name drawn. Either way, I never have to see them again."

"Haymitch..." I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

He saw. "Whoa. Don't cry, ok? It wasn't that bad. It really did only happen two or three times."

I sniffled, but managed to not cry. I decided to change the subject. "So did you get any sleep at all? Or were you awake the whole time?"

He laughed. "I was awake the entire time. I couldn't really sleep. Although, when you came into my room you were too easy to fool."

"Yeah. I couldn't sleep either." I agreed. "But if you were awake then why did you roll over? You could have ruined the whole thing."

"And miss seeing you almost jump out of your skin? No way."

It was typical Haymitch, so I didn't question it any more. I whispered to him that I would be right back, and then snuck the makeup back into Effie's room. We talked much later into the night, until we were both so tired that we could barely keep our eyes open. "I really need to go to bed right now." I yawned.

"Me too." He leaned back against the train's window.

I stood up and walked toward the door. When I reached the doorframe I turned back and smiled. "Good night Haymitch. And thank you so much."

"Good night." He replied.

I walked back to my room and flopped down on my bed. The last thought that crossed my mind as my eyes crashed shut was that maybe Haymitch Abernathy wasn't so bad after all.

********

**So, Chapter 3 is done, and much earlier than expected too! I know what you are probably thinking right now: OMGZ CHILD ABUSE!!!!! If I get too many bad reviews I will take that part out, but I thought I should include it to give a reason to why Haymitch is so snarky and cold, and to why he has a hard time making friends. So, since I have three days off (randomly) I might be able to get another chapter out by Sunday night, but I'm not promising anything. Also, since this was un-betaed and my computer's keyboard is being all wonky, if anyone notices spelling, grammar, or any mistakes in general, please tell me. Once again, like in everyone's stories, reviews are much appreciated, but this time no bribe. Seriously though, please review. It gives me a warm happy feeling inside whenever I read a good review for this story, so please keep reviewing. **** They are VERY much appreciated. **


	4. An Alliance Is Formed

**Um, so this is Chapter 4. Apparently there have been over 140 hits on this story, so this is AWESOME! As I'm writing this I have absolutely NO idea where this chapter is headed. I'm going to pray to the god of writing and creativity that it turns out OK. Then again, the rest of the chapters started this way, and they seem to have turned out fine. I realize that this note really didn't make much sense, but I'm tired, so you'll just have to ignore it. Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter, and now on with the story!**

"Wake up." There were hands shaking me awake. "WAKE UP!"

"No. Go away, Ellie." I grumbled back before burying my face under a pillow.

"My name is Effie, not Ellie, but its close, so thanks for trying." A perky voice replied. "Anyway, Mr. Applegate wanted me to wake you guys up. We have to watch the Reapings."

My sleep deprived brain caught only a few words. Ellie. Effie. Reapings. I bolted up, scaring Effie, who let out a piercing scream.

"Gee. You're going to give someone a heart attack!" Effie was standing now, her normally smiling face slack and pale. I had to admit it was pretty funny, and I was trying really hard not to laugh at her.

"I'm sorry Effie." I tried to stay serious, but it was impossible, and I burst out laughing. Effie looked so offended that it only made me laugh harder.

"It's not funny." She whispered under her breath. "You guys are impossible."

I laughed until my jaw was sore and my stomach was cramping. Haymitch was totally right. The humour from teasing other people was just too funny to pass up. It helped take my mind off of my predicament. On that serious note I rolled out of bed and opened the room's closet. I surveyed the clothes and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. After I had dressed I threw my hair into a ponytail and headed into the T.V. room. The other tributes, along with Effie and our district's escort, Mr. Applegate, Effie had said, were already sat around the T.V. Helena and Effie were perched on a love seat, Mr. Applegate was in an armchair, the other guy was slouched on a chair, and Haymitch was sprawled out on the couch.

Mr. Applegate noticed me standing in the door and shot me a death glare. "Nice of you to finally join us Ms. Donner." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. I walked to the couch and looked down at Haymitch. He glared back at me. "Can you move your legs, please?"

He scoffed at me. "No way." I was shocked. What had happened to him? Last night he had been almost friendly, but now? Now he was just being downright cold.

Well, if he wanted it to be that way, then I would have to be just as indifferent. "Move them, or I'll sit on you, Abernathy."

He didn't look very happy, but he drew his legs back slightly, barely allowing me enough room to sit. I sat down and then stared at him. "Thanks so much." He smirked at me, but when the smirk disappeared off his face for a moment his eyes looked just a little softer, but as soon as I noticed it, it disappeared again.

Effie stood up and turned on the Reaping recaps. The newly elected President, President Snow, was making an opening speech from the Capitol. It was the exact same speech every year, so I tuned it out until Effie threw a pillow at me. "Pay attention, Maysilee." She hissed. They were starting to draw the career tributes. These were the people who were the greatest block that stopped me from living.

The names of the District 1 tributes were Glare and Glitter, who were twins, and Ruby and Sheen. District 2' tributes were named Sava, Fier, Cara, and Brett. Based on the looks of the District 4 tributes there wasn't anything to worry about. No one else really caught my eye until they called the District 11 tributes. One girl, Seraphine, and one guy, Birch, caught my eye. They looked like they were around 14 and 17 respectively, but they both looked sly and crafty. I would have to keep an eye on them when we reached the Capitol.

Effie turned the T.V. off after this. There was no need to watch what happened next. We all knew what would happen next.

********

After the reaping recap I sat on the couch for a while, flipping through the T.V. channels. There was nothing on except recaps and a Capitol news show that was making predictions, and since I was interested, I watched it for a while.

"And as for the winner, we have high hopes for Sava Thorn of District 1. Insiders tell us that in preliminary training Sava shows 'a lot of promise'"

"That's right, Melissa. This year, for the first time since the 10th Hunger Games, we also have sources telling us that District 12's Haymitch Abernathy is showing much promise to do well in the games. As for the other District 12 tributes, Helena Mitchell, Redmond Herring, and Maysilee Donner, along with District 11's Seraphine Redfern, we don't hold out much hope for these four tributes. Our official prediction is that most, if not all of these tributes WILL die in the so-called 'Cornucopia Bloodbath'."

I was shocked. They "don't hold out much hope" for me? On what grounds? They didn't have any proof. I picked up the remote and turned the T.V. off, still in shock. I needed to be alone. I headed to my room, where I knew I wouldn't be bothered. As I walked down the deserted hall one door swung open and something grabbed my arm, pulling me in.

I turned, and, not surprisingly, found myself face to face with Haymitch who was hiding in one of the closets along the hall. "What, no scream this time?" He smiled at me.

"No, actually I've kind of come to expect it." I replied sarcastically. "Do you honestly think you can stand there and smile at me after how you just treated me?"

"Yes, actually, I do."

"You jerk." I hit his arm. "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Haymitch Abernathy, District 12 tribute, and you're Maysilee Donner, District 12 tribute. That's why we can't be friends-"

"That's IT! I'm leaving." I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm and dragged me back.

"Let me finish."

I stopped and turned back towards him. "Fine. You have 60 seconds."

"That's why we can't be friends when we're around the other tributes. If we let everyone think we hate each other, then we might be able to use it to our advantage. As far as I could tell, making allies on this train hasn't occurred to Helena or Red. I know it sounds bad, but if we are friends then we will have an advantage going in that no one else, except the Careers, will have going in. We'll already have someone we can trust, and we can use this time to cement an alliance. I mean, in other years alliances of two have proved to be the most powerful."

I could see where he was coming from. "That is a fantastic plan. You are way too sly. Which is why I'm glad you're MY ally."

"And that, my friend, is why I don't let you make the plans." He reached out his hand and I took it. We shook on our new partnership, but for some reason neither of us wanted to be the first to let go.

He smiled at me and, returning the smile I let go of his hand. As I was about to turn to leave the train suddenly swerved and I was thrown against Haymitch. He caught me, and held on to me as the train continued to swerve along the tracks. The train steadied, but we stayed like we were until a loud voice blasted over the speaker system. We jumped apart as we heard the announcement. "So sorry about that. We are just travelling along a rather unstable section of track, and this might happen a few more times before we arrive in the Capitol tomorrow."

The announcement ended, and I could tell even in the dim light of the closet that I was bright red. "Um, Haymitch... I have to... you know... go. There's something I... need to... do. Yeah! So, bye!" Before he could reply I bolted out of the closet, once again startling Effie, who screamed in terror. This time I didn't even stop to apologize. I kept running until I was in my room. I slammed the door and locked it, then sank to the floor with a small smile on my face. And I found that, for the first time since my name had been drawn in the reaping, the Hunger Games was the furthest thing from my mind.

********

**So, another day, another chapter! This chapter was mostly filler to further develop the relationship and alliance between Maysilee and Haymitch, and to develop the other tributes. In case you didn't notice, I was feeling especially uncreative today, and therefore named the 4****th**** District 12 tribute Red Herring. He will in no way, shape or form actually be a red herring (as of right now anyway). I was on the fence for a while about whether to give a name to the District Escort, mostly because I wasn't sure if he had a name in the book, but I finally got to a point in the story where I couldn't keep calling him "that guy" or "him", so I named him Mr. Applegate after the devil in Damn Yankees (fitting isn't it). So, I hope this chapter didn't bore you too much, and hopefully next chapter we will get to something more interesting! As always, please review. I only got 1 review for the last chapter, so I am hoping to get at least 3 this time! The next update... I have 2 big assignments due on Monday, so it depends on how much of them I get done tomorrow. So, see you then!**


	5. The Capitol

**I'm going to stop announcing the fact that a new chapter is up as of this chapter, since it's obviously up due to the fact that you are reading this right now. So, I still haven't gotten either of my books back yet (I think I mentioned that I had lent them out in an earlier chapter), but I PM'd a few people to see if anyone could tell me the info. So, thanks to everyone who PM'd me back. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, but I really also want to thank KoalaKoala9836 who has reviewed EVERY chapter of this story so far, and who also got back to me within an ****hour**** with all of the info I needed to finish this story. Thanks! So, now the part you all are waiting for: Chapter 5!**

Despite all of the bad things I had associated with it my whole life, the Capitol really was beautiful. There were mirrored towers stretching high into the sky, and the sun reflected off the glass, throwing light into the streets below. We had arrived in the Capitol shortly after breakfast this morning, and were taking a monorail to the training centre. With all the beauty of the Capitol, it was so hard to believe all of the deceitful underhanded things that went on under the surface.

We were pulling up to the training centre now, and Mr. Applegate and Effie stood up to help direct us. "Alright everyone," Mr. Applegate announced. "Welcome to the Capitol Training Centre! Everyone grab your bags out of the overhead compartments and follow me. You will be staying on the 4th floor."

We were facing a sprawling short building built from brick and metal as opposed to the rest of the city. I reached up to pull down my suitcase, but, before I could fully grasp the handle another hand closed over mine. Haymitch? I thought. But he had said to keep up the enemy act. I looked up and found myself staring at Redmond Herring. "Hey, babe. Want any help?" He smiled a greasy smile down at me and started to lift the bag down.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm a big girl, Redmond." I sneered back at him, then grabbed my bag. I ran to catch up to Haymitch and Helena, who had gone ahead with Mr. Applegate and Effie.

"Call me Red, babe!" He called out, strutting after us.

If I had ever thought Haymitch was bad, I would have definitely reconsidered. This guy, who has hidden on the train most of the way to the Capitol, was the grossest, sleaziest slimeball I had ever met. He walked around with a smirk on his face, acting like he owned the world. As a matter of fact, he was EXACTLY like I thought Haymitch was, before we became allies. I could guarantee that within a day he would be allied with every girl (except me) in the Training Centre.

We walked through the tall front doors into a vaulted entrance hall. "Follow me everyone!" Mr. Applegate called. "The tributes will be staying on the fourth floor. You'll each have your own room, since this training centre was built especially for this Quarter Quell."

We all piled into a mirrored elevator and rode up to the top floor. At the very end of the hallway were our rooms. "Mr. Herring, Mr. Abernathy, your rooms are on this side." He gestured to the left, "And Miss Donner, Miss Mitchell, these are your rooms. I'll leave you to fight over who gets which room."

As he turned to leave Haymitch spoke up suddenly. "Sir." He said insolently. "Where does that door lead?"

Mr. Applegate narrowed his eyes. "Those are stairs. I do not recommend taking them unless it is an emergency. The door on the bottom floor is blocked with wards, the door on the third floor leads straight into the Mentors and District Escorts quarters, which I don't recommend you doing, and the door on the second floor? Well, I wouldn't recommend that you go through it, unless you wish to fall quite a long distance and then smash on the floor of the training centre."

"Oh." Mr. Applegate left to go get settled in his room. I saw Haymitch draw something out of his pocket. Once the District 12 tributes were alone Haymitch turned to me. "Hey Donner, I dare you to walk out the second floor door."

A shocked silence followed. "Hey, hey, hey-" Red said, at the same time as Helena said "But, Mr. Applegate said-"

I cut them off. "Only after you." I sneered back at him. He had to be up to something.

"You're on!" He stuck out his hand, and I grabbed it to shake. As we shook he pushed a small slip of paper into my hand. I whirled around, pretending to be in a bad mood. I stomped toward the door right behind me as the guys disappeared into their rooms.

"Actually, I want that room." Helena whined, all traces of the nice girl gone, replaced with a spoiled brat.

"Whatever." I whirled around and stalked into the room nearest to the stairs door. Once inside I dropped my suitcase on the floor and sat on the bed. I unfurled the note that was crumpled in my hand. _'Meet me on the stairs at the second floor at 2:30 a.m. ~H. P.S. Destroy this." _It read. I snorted and stuffed it in my pocket. Yeah, destroy this. My thoughts trailed off as suddenly I became tired. I lay down, knowing I had very few nights left to get a good sleep. With that unpleasant thought on my mind I drifted off into a restless sleep.

********

At around lunch time that day, Effie woke me softly. "Hey, Maysilee, right? You have to get up now; they are doing preliminary testing to make sure all the tributes are ok." I could tell she didn't want to repeat what had happened the last time she had woken me, so I sat up slowly. She looked relieved, and told me to meet in the hallway in a half hour. I quickly got dressed and ran out into the hallway to see if I could catch Haymitch before everyone else was ready. Sure enough he was standing in the hall by himself. He turned to see who had come to join him, and an unreadable expression crossed his face. Distress and unease clawed at my stomach, and I knew he could tell the testing was bugging me. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"It'll be ok, May." He whispered before he dropped my hand. I had to him about my fear of Capitol medicine during one of our many talks on the train. It comforted me a bit that someone was here to take the place of my twin and my best girlfriend, who usually reassured me whenever I had to get medical work done. After a while we were on our way down to the clinic, which was located in the basement of the training centre. First Helena went in, followed shortly by Red. Haymitch and I sat in silence until my name was called. I followed the doctor into a secluded sterile white room. He sat me down in a reclined chair before turning to prepare whatever he needed. He turned back to face me, and the last thing I remember before the world went black was the sinister looking doctor approaching me with a mask.

********

I woke up hours later to find two doctors whispering secretively in the corner of my room. I only caught a few word of their conversation before I slipped back into unconsciousness. "Experimental... Don't know... Maybe..." I didn't pay any attention.

When I woke up for good Effie was slumped in a chair next to my bed. When she saw I was awake she smiled and said. "Good! You were the last one! You should get something to eat, or something."

Surprisingly I wasn't hungry, and I told her so before I asked if I could just go back to my room. Effie helped me back up to my room, and then, after she was completely sure I was safe, she left. I stayed hidden in my room until late that night, when I remembered Haymitch's note. The clock on my bedside table read 2:25, so I headed out to the stairs. Once I was sure that everyone was asleep I crept into the staircase and, sure enough, found Haymitch sitting in the stairs.

"Hey." I smiled at him, then sat down. "Did they knock you out when you went in for testing?"

"No, why, did they knock you out?" He replied.

"Yeah, actually, they did. It was weird." It felt like there was something else I should remember, but, even as the memory swam close to the surface of my mind, I just couldn't.

Haymitch shrugged. "Maybe they found out you didn't like their machines."

I hadn't thought of that. "Probably."

We talked for a while, about strategy, our lives, the other tributes and the games, but eventually I was too tired to stay any longer. I said good night, and then impulsively hugged him. I raced up the stairs, stopping only once to look back. He sat on the stairs with a very strange look on his face. Too tired to even think about what it meant, I slipped back into my room and fell asleep.

********

**So, another chapter done. The story is about halfway done now! I'm not sure how to feel about that though. Thanks to Kesoliai and TeamPeetaKatniss too for info on the book. If anyone found this chapter boring, I'm really sorry, but I needed to include it. So, anyway, please review, and hopefully I will be back soon with a new update!**


	6. A Starting Point

**Unfortunately, this is just another filler chapter. Although, apparently the filler chapters haven't been too bad so far, so I'm hoping this won't be completely boring. I'm hoped to have this up last Thursday, but that obviously didn't happen. I'm really sorry it took this long to write, but I was stuck. Writer's block sucks. So, this is a chapter that wasn't originally going to be in the story, but I have to include it, so here it goes:**

The next day was the opening ceremonies. We were woken up WAY too early and taken to the second floor, where the style team was staying. District 12's stylists were named Jade and Emma. They both had a far out Capitol look about them, and I really hoped we would at least get half decent costumes. Effie, who Mr. Applegate seemed to have dumped all of his duties onto, led us into separate rooms. In the girls room our stylist, Jade, perched on a counter chattering into her cell phone.

"Yes sir. OK. What do you mean, unique. Never done before?" She sighed. "A completely new costume. Yes sir. Are you sure we can't reuse an idea? Fine. Yes, I'll try my best. You'll send something over to work with? But- Of course I want to be promoted from District 12 next year..." She trailed off as she caught sight of Helena, Effie, and me standing in the doorway, staring at her. "Mr. Crane? I have to go. Yes sir. Ok. Bye!" She flipped the phone shut and hopped down. "Hi guys! I'm Jade and I'm gonna be your stylist!" She smiled at us, then launched into another speech.

"So, as you ladies probably know, the opening ceremonies are tonight, and between now and then we are going to make you girls look beautiful. This is your prep team: Ebony, Venia, and Octavia." She pointed to three women standing in the corner of the room, waving and smiling at us. "First I need to take your measurements, then y'all are going to go with them and they are going to make you look beautiful!"

I looked at Helena discreetly, and was surprised to find she was smiling a little bit under the curtain if hair she always seemed to wear over her forehead. Jade pushed us toward the prep team, who grabbed our shoulders and steered us out of the room. They dropped us into a private room, shoved two robes at us, and told us to get undressed and put the robes on. We quickly turned and slipped into the robes, then sat down on the bench that had been provided for us. After sitting in silence for a few minutes I turned to Helena. I really wanted to ask her why she wore her hair like she did, since she was pretty and DEFINITELY not shy, but she interrupted my thoughts.

"Are you scared at all?" She didn't look haughty and regal as she looked at me since the moment we had been chosen as tributes, but instead she looked just as scared as I felt inside.

I looked back at her and, just for a moment, I let all my emotions show on my face before pushing them back down. "Of course I am." I wanted it to come out strong, but instead I sounded weak and frightened.

For the first time in a very long time Helena Mitchell smiled at me. "You seemed so indifferent, like you didn't care that we're going to die. I know that I'm really scared."

"So am I." I smiled back at her. I decided to try and change the subject. "Hey, Helena? You should push your hair off your face. It would look really pretty, and the prep team is going to do it anyway in a minute."

She reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing a huge scar across her forehead. "A board fell on me when I was little, and this," She gestured to the scar, "was the best they could do to fix it."

"Oh." I felt embarrassed now, and I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks.

She saw, and quickly said "Don't worry; you would have seen it in a few minutes anyways."

We talked about home and other things for a few minutes until the prep team came back to take us to get ready for tonight. "Oh no!" Octavia's eyes rounded when she saw Helena's forehead. "You poor thing! I'll take you to get that fixed up." She bustled Helena out of the room as the other two closed in on me and started circling.

"Hmmm." Mused the tall woman with dark raven coloured hair. "I have an idea." She smirked and they dragged me away from the safety of the white room.

********

Many hours later I found myself sitting next to Helena, who was now scarless, staring at what could only be described as the ugliest costume EVER. We had spent many hours being poked and prodded into what the Capitol considered to be perfect shape. Our skin had been peeled away, leaving new skin underneath. My blonde hair had been teased and curled and was now draping down over my shoulders, and Helena`s long straight black hair had been teased into a wild style. Dark coal-like makeup ringed our eyes, and dark red lipstick had been slathered on our lips. We looked like fearsome morphling addicts. There really was no other way to describe us.

Anyways, the costume that had been created for us during the day was the most hideous costume I had ever seen. The outfit that had been provided to Jade and Emma by Seneca Crane for the Quarter Quell were old orange miners jumpsuits, which our stylists had taken the liberty of modifying "slightly". First they had shortened the sleeves. Next they had cut open the legs and sewn them together, creating a tight skirt. They had the skirt shortened so it would barely cover our butts. Finally, they paired it with a hardhat, a pair of tall clunky lace-up boots, a pair of ripped black tights, and long ripped fingerless gloves.

I turned to Helena, who was wearing a look of shock on her face that was identical to mine. She turned to me and whispered the exact thought that was on my mind: "We are going to look like hookers."

"So? What do you think?" Jade breezed into the room and looked at us expectantly.

I plastered a huge fake smile on my face and said "I LOVE it!" while Helena nodded from the stool next to me. Our prep team helped us into the ridiculous costumes and handed us each a torch, which they lit on fire before sending us out to the waiting chariot.

Helena and I wove between the chariots, in search of our District's chariot. We finally found it, at the very back of the procession. Haymitch and Red were sitting on the edge of the chariot staring at us as we made our way closer to it. Red looked like he was trying not to drool at the slutty outfits, and Haymitch looked like he was trying VERY hard not to laugh at us. I glared at them, and jumped up on to the chariot so I could sit next to Haymitch.

"Nice costumes ladies." Haymitch snickered, as Red nodded appreciatively from his other side, completely missing the sarcasm in Haymitch's voice. I stuck my tongue out at him, but he just smiled. He slid his hand over mine, holding it softly as we waited in silence for the Opening Ceremonies to start.

When it came time for District 12 to ride around the circle no one cheered for us as they had cheered for other districts, just clapping. I knew that far away, somewhere in District 12 everyone I loved was watching, and that thought, as well as Haymitch standing next to me, gave me some comfort to help me survive through the rest of the ceremony.

********

Later that night we crept back into our dorms. The opening ceremonies had just ended, and we were just arriving back at the Training Centre. Red quickly went to his room, but Helena, Haymitch, and I stayed in the hall and talked for a while. Helena soon became too tired to stay, so I hugged her good night and she went into her room to go to bed. When we were alone Haymitch wrapped an arm around me and we sat in silence, his arm around me and my head on his chest until we were too tired to think.

"Night Haymitch." I hugged him, and then went to my room where I collapsed on the bed, ready to sleep. Tomorrow was training day.

********

**So, you know how I said that last chapter was halfway? Well I lied. I think. The stylists names are Jade and Emerald, Emma for short ****. I'm tired now, so just a small note. I'm going to post this now so PLEASE REVIEW!!!! A big smile if you do!**


	7. Warrior in Training

**SO, as of this chapter the focus of the story is turning more away from the major relationship part of this fanfic, and is going to turn more toward the games, and creating alliances. Now, don't get me wrong, there will be major relationship development *coughMaysileeandHaymitchcough* during these chapters, but they won't be the focus. There also will be something BIG coming in two chapters. *coughMandHcoughBIGblowupcough*. :D Because their previous alliance had to be broken somehow, right? I think you guys will like what happens. : ) . Anyway, enough of my blabbering... To the story!**

The next day, our training began. Effie woke me up early the next morning, and I got up without a complaint, to get dressed in the training outfit that had been laid out for us some time during the night. I quickly got dressed and headed down to the cafeteria. There were other tributes there too, from different districts. I recognized some, but others I did not. I quickly wove in between the tables, heading the table where the rest of the District 12 team was sitting. Helena, Effie, and Mr. Applegate were already there, and surprisingly so were Jade and Emma. Lastly, sitting at the end of the table was a person who I recognized, but was surprised to not have seen yet while we were in the Capitol.

I quickly slid into an empty chair next to Effie, and smiled at the petit, unusually pale woman at the end of the table. "Hi. I'm Maysilee, but you can call me May if you want to."

She smiled and stuck her hand out across the table. I shook her hand as she whispered, "I'm Leilani Auclair. I'm going to be your mentor for these games." Although I already knew who she was, her appearance shocked me. When she won the games, only 10 short years ago, she was tall, dark, strong and fierce. Originally from the Seam, many girls had both looked up to her and envied her for her good looks, her blazing grey eyes, and her long shiny black hair. Now she was pale, sullen, and emaciated, as if a disease was eating away at her life.

I was so caught up in staring that I didn't even notice Haymitch, who had quietly slid into the seat next to me, until he poked me in the side. "Hey sweetheart, everyone can tell that you're staring." He whispered.

I responded be narrowing my eyes and glaring at him. He just smirked. "You know, the two of you are going to have to learn to get along at some point over the next two days. We can't have you bickering while the interviews are going on. Can you even THINK of how bad that would make me look?" Effie hissed at us. I tried to suppress my smiled, but it broke out on my face anyways.

"Not a chance." Haymitch and I laughed.

"What do you mean not a chance? Is that not a chance of fighting on T.V? Or not a chance of getting along. Because if you two do ANYTHING, anything at all, during those interviews I swear to God that I will smack you so hard-" Effie was fuming now.

"Now, Effie." Mr. Applegate interrupted, causing Effie to look away from us and blush when she noticed that everyone was starring at her.

"Oh you know what I mean." Effie grumbled.

"Don't worry Effie. We'll be perfect angels during the interviews." He said sweetly to Effie, the picture of innocence. "Right Maysilee?" He smiled innocently at me, and, seizing a perfect opportunity, I wound up and punched him as hard as I could in the arm. I smiled sweetly back at him.

"I give up." Effie sighed, and the District 12 table lapsed into complete silence.

"I just have to run to the washroom." Leilani whispered, before rising awkwardly from the table. When I saw her full body I gasped in shock, and before anyone could comment. Haymitch kicked me in the leg, and then said "Oops" covering up my slip. Where the former tribute had once been lithe and strong, a huge baby bump now protruded from her stomach.

Once Effie was sure that our mentor was gone she turned to the table and started to fill us in on everything that had happened since the cameras left at the end of the last Hunger Games. "She got married, remember? So now she's pregnant. I talked to her doctors, and they said it is a high risk pregnancy. Like REALLY high risk. Medicine here isn't even advanced enough to help her. They don't know if she is going to survive. I mean, they didn't even want her to leave the hospital to come mentor you guys, but she insisted that you needed her. So that's why she wasn't in District 12 for the reaping this year." Effie looked deadly serious, and we all believed her. After all, we had seen the proof with our very own eyes.

********

After breakfast training began. Atala, the head trainer, gathered all forty-eight of us around and started to point out each of the stations. There were a ton of stations, including archery stations, camouflage stations, knife and axe throwing stations, and edible plant stations. Once she dismissed us to go to the stations that we wanted I grabbed Helena and ran to the edible plants table. We quickly started browsing through the books that were on the table.

"Hey, Helena, look!" I pointed to a plant in the book that I was holding. "Isn't that cool looking?" The plant was a tiger lily, a beautiful exotic orange flower. She quickly peeked at the book and started reading the passage underneath the picture.

" Native to Eu- Eur- Europe- Eeurropee?" Helena sounded out the unfamiliar word. "Is that supposed to be a place or something? Because I've never heard of it before. The flower is pretty though."

"I've never heard of it either." I picked up another book and began leafing through the pages.

"Oh hey, look!" Helena exclaimed. "When offered as a gift, the Orange Lily also signifies death to the recipient!"

I frowned. "That's... odd." I slowly picked up two of the lilies off of the table, and then grabbed a knife and swiftly cut off most of the stem before handing it to Helena. She took it, muttering "Ironic."

"Put it in your hair." I carefully wove my own lily into the hair near my ear. "Like this." We read a few more books, then, deciding that we were done for now, Helena pulled me over to the camouflage table. We experimented with the different colours, even successfully disguising ourselves a few times, before Helena had a sudden flash of inspiration.

"Hey May, can I paint something on your face?" Helena quickly asked.

"Sure." I replied as she reached for a pot of brown paint. Very slowly she painted a line down the center of my face, then two stripes on each of my cheeks, before painting her own face. She grabbed a mirror, and then showed me my face. With the war paint and the lily, we looked like true warriors. After a short while at the camouflage station we parted ways, and she headed to the archery station, while I headed toward the knife and axe throwing station, where Haymitch was pretending to throw a knife badly at a dummy. There were a few other people there as well, including Red and the careers, but I just grabbed a few knives and made a beeline toward the conveniently empty target dummy next to Haymitch.

"Hey." He turned to me, and, upon seeing my face, his eyebrows rose through the roof. "Nice war paint. Adds a nice touch. You look like an Indian princess out for a hunt."

I stuck my tongue out at him before turning to study the knives I had chosen. They looked sharp, but honestly? I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I threw a few knives for practice and they landed either just short of the dummy, or, when I adjusted my shot, they hit the wall and clattered uselessly to the floor. I scrutinized the dummy, deciding where to aim for, and then I wound up and threw the knife as hard as I could. It flew right past the dummy and bounced off the wall before lodging itself in the dummy's side.

Next to me, Haymitch burst out laughing, and doubled over when then pain of the laugh became too much. "That's definitely one way to kill them, sweetheart."

I tried to glare at him, but soon I also dissolved into helpless giggles at my total uselessness with the knife. We laughed for a little bit longer then he decided to help me with it.

"Here." He handed me another knife. I grabbed on to the hilt and he wrapped his hand around mine. He swiftly moved behind me and took hold of my other hand. He corrected my stance, and then helped me wind up and launch the knife at the target dummy. It buried straight in the center of the dummy's heart, effectively killing it. He helped me throw a few more knives before returning to his own target practice. I picked up my last knife and tossed it between my hands for a minute before setting up in the position Haymitch had showed me. I prepared for the throw, and then threw the knife at my dummy. It lodged firmly in the dummy's shoulder, and although it wasn't the best throw ever it was still an improvement on my part. Satisfied, I bent over to pick up more knives.

While I was down a piercing scream tore through the gymnasium, and I stood back up and whipped my eyes up. The colour drained out of my face and the knife in my hand clattered to the floor as I took in the sight before me. There, speeding toward my head, was a sharp lethal axe.

********

**Dun, Dun, Dun... Ok, PLEASE don't kill me for that. It seemed like a good way to end the chapter. XD On unrelated notes, I've kind of been thinking about another story I would like to do either after this story is done, or as a break after next chapter, which BTW, is the MINIMUM halfway point. It would be a one-shot songfic about Annie Cresta, set to the song "Sounds of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel, which is an awesome song if you haven't heard it yet. So, do you guys think that's a good idea? Or not... Review and tell me. Well, just review in general. Why? You ask, WEEEELL, because the more you review, then the more I will write of the next chapter, and he sooner it will be up so you can figure out what happens! So, you know what to do! Just clicky the green button, and tell me what you think. Even if you're too lazy to log in and it's an anonymous review. Still review. It makes my day! OK? Ok. Well BYE!!!!**


	8. Peace and Quiet

**So, that oneshot I mentioned at the end of last chapter is now up. If you want to read the onshot go right ahead, you know where to find it. I'm so so sorry about the cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter and then not writing for ages. Some stuff happened in real life, so I've finally gotten back to this.... And now to resolve that pesky cliffhanger (in a little while). The flashback is the part in italics...**

By breakfast the next day the madness from training still hadn't died down. We had been awoken by Effie early that morning so we could get ready for our private sessions with the Gamemakers. She had hustled us into our outfits and dragged us down to the breakfast buffet, where the four District 12 tributes were now sitting, trying to wake up. Haymitch was nursing a coffee, Red was loading up on sugar, Helena was eyeing Haymitch's coffee with interest, and I was slumped over the table.

"Wake up, wake up!" Effie was bouncing up and down next to the table. "You guys need to get some energy! The Gamemaker sessions are today! Have you all decided what you're doing? We have to let them know in..." She glanced at her watch and screamed. "FIVE MINUTES!!!! I have to go."

As she ran off we all burst out laughing. "Wow." I lifted my head off the table to smile at the others at my table.

Red laughed. "I can't believe she has this much energy this early." Helena and I nodded back at him before we all lapsed into an awkward silence, the type of silence that could only be felt by four people who, in a matter of days, would be attempting to kill each other.

I stuck my hand out at Haymitch and beckoned toward his coffee. "Hand it over. I need caffine." He pushed the cup toward me and I picked it up gingerly. I had never had coffee before, so I was a bit nervous to taste it. I quickly swallowed the nerves and put the mug to my lips. I swallowed a mouthful of coffee and gagged. It tasted like... dirt. I quickly pushed it back at Haymitch, who rolled his eyes.

"You are such a girl." He reluctantly stood up and dragged me toward the buffet station where he had gotten his coffee. He poured a new cup, the added some powder to it.

"What's this?" I pointed to the drink, which he was handing me.

"Coffee and powdered chocolate. I saw one of the girls from District 1 drinking it earlier." I tentatively picked it up and took a sip. It was heavenly.

"This is actually pretty good." I nodded, and we headed back to the table. On the way over Haymitch stopped me and suddenly dragged me out into the hallway.

"Good luck later." He smiled at me.

My heart started to melt as I smiled back at him. "Thanks. You too." I wrapped my arms around him and we stood together for a few seconds before returning to that table. We had a lot to prepare for later.

********

A few hours later I found myself sitting in a waiting room at the very end of a long line of people waiting to show off their skill in front of the Gamemakers. Haymitch was sitting to my right, with Helena and Red sitting on the other side of him. The tributes from Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 had already been called in, and I had the feeling that it would be a LONG time before they would reach District 12.

No one was talking much, so it finally gave me a chance to think about what had happened in training the previous day.

_Training had been pretty boring until 'the incident'. I had bent over to pick up another knife, and stood back up to find that there was a sharp axe hurtling toward my head. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move out of fear, and as far as I could tell no one was close enough, nor would anyone want to somehow get me out of harm's way. Time seemed to slow and almost stop as I watched it, helpless._

_Out of the corner of my eye I could see Helena screaming and Haymitch running toward me from across the gym, where he had gone to practice hand-to-hand combat only minutes, if not seconds before. Just when I thought that I was a goner for sure a solid mass slammed into my body, knocking me to the ground and out of the way of the axe, which thudded harmlessly into the target behind me, a perfect bull's eye. _

_Pinned under my weight, I could feel the arm that I had landed on paining, but mostly I was glad to just still be alive. Still shocked that I was alive I looked up to see the red headed girl from District 11, Seraphine, they had said during the Reapings, picking herself up off the ground._

"_Thank you." I whispered to her as I sat up on the ground._

_She smiled back at me and ran off, back to the station she had been at before._

_Haymitch and Helena ran up to me and immediately reached down to help me off the ground. I shook my head and pointed at my arm. "Her arm." Helena whispered to Haymitch, and I peered down curiously at it. It was bent at an odd angle. Blackness started to press at the edges of my vision then, and I could feel myself start to sway._

"_We need to take her to the infirmary." Someone said, and, before I knew what was going on, Haymitch bent down and picked me up, bridal style. He carried me all the way to the infirmary, where Helena joined us. The doctor proceeded to announce that I had a broken arm, as if we couldn't tell that already, and fixed it up, telling me it should be fine in a few hours._

"_So, who was it?" I pieced the sentence together, although I was still in shock._

"_Glitter." Haymitch said, at the same time as Helena whispered, "District 1."_

"_Oh." I replied. _

_A few minutes later, when I was feeling a bit less disoriented, we returned to training, where the three of us were absorbed back into the whirlwind of activity that had consumed the gym while we were gone._

"Maysilee. MAYSILEE!" I snapped out of my reverie and looked up to find both Helna and Haymitch staring at me.

"I'm fine." I glared at them, then took in the surprising sight before me. We were the only ones left in the waiting room.

"We were starting to get worried. You've been lost in thought for nearly THREE HOURS. We were getting worried."

My face relaxed a bit. "Oh no, I'm so sorry." I sighed. "I was just thinking."

They seemed to understand, and they turned back to face the doors to the gym.

"Helena Mitchell, District 12." A voice came over the loud speaker from the corner of the room, and she got up and ran toward the door, disappearing before we had a chance to say anything to her.

Haymitch and I sat in silence until he was called, then stared at the wall until my name was called. Once it was called I entered the gym to find that it had been set up exactly as I had told Effie that I had wanted it to be set up. The forest was perfect for the camouflage routine I was going to do. After I had returned to the gym yesterday I went back to the camouflage station and found that I was actually pretty good at it, good enough to use it to be evaluated.

Once the Gamemakers gave me the signal I began, first camouflaging myself to match a tree. The routine continued until the Gamemakers, who were already restless, decided they had had enough of me, and dismissed me to return to my group.

********

Later that night Haymitch and I met up to discuss our scores.

"Five really isn't THAT bad, you know." He assured me.

"Easy for you to say, since you got an eight!" I shot back.

"Oh, come on, you know they just had to fall for my warrior knife routine." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over, acting as if the punch had actually hurt him. When he looked up and I saw the fake pain on his face we both collapsed on the floor and started laughing. It, was bittersweet though, and I wished we could pause the moment forever, before the Hunger Games had to sneak up on us and ruin everything.

We talked and joked around for a little while longer before I snuck back to my room, crawled in bed and fell asleep, tired and worn.

********

**Another chapter done! Once again, sorry for the long wait. The next chapter is one I have been looking forward to writing for a while, so I can't wait to get started on it. And to the reviewer "it" Thanks for the review, and I was hurrying. Also, to the reviewer "Alex :)" thanks for the sweet comment, it made my week! :) So, review, and let's see if we can beat the number of reviews from the last chapter!**


	9. Heart of the Night

**Whew! And, I'm back... It seems like I was gone forever (a victim of MAJOR writer's block, EXAMS, a broken computer, etc...), so you know, new chapter. I have an idea where this chapter is going (for once) so I don't think this chapter will be as rambly as the other chapters, and it's about 1,000 words longer than most of the other chapters... So, here goes... Oh, and if you want a song to listen to while you are reading this chapter, here is a suggestion: THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THIS CHAPTER... (Kiss Me, by Sixpence None the Richer, or Total Eclipse of the Heart by Glee Cast) END SPOILERS... ENJOY!**

I woke up the next morning to see the moon and stars still shining off the glass buildings around the training centre and in through my window. I sat up slowly and surveyed the room. My alarm clock flashed a large red 5:45, at least an hour before anyone else would be up. Fully awake now, I swung my legs out of the bed and headed toward the closet. After getting dressed I snuck into the hall to go for a walk.

As I walked down the corridor I passed Haymitch's door, then backtracked, pausing to lay my hand on the door knob. As I turned to walk away the door swung open behind me and Haymitch, still half asleep, peered out at me from the room.

"What? How? Everyone was supposed to still be asleep." I stared back at him. "What are you doing awake anyway. It's 5:45."

"I could ask you the same thing."

"That still doesn't answer my question, Haymitch." I replied.

"I heard you walking around. At least I thought it was you. And, obviously I was right." He smiled at me.

"Oh. Were you asleep?" I was honestly curious. I could see why he wouldn't be sleeping well, but-

Haymitch interrupted my thoughts. "No, it's kind of hard, you know." I nodded at him. "Do you want to come in?" He pushed the door open wider, revealing a room that looked surprisingly identical to mine.

"I- Sure." I walked in past him and sat down on his bed.

"The room isn't very impressive, is it? I kind of expected more, what with this being the Capitol and all." Haymitch told me as he pushed his door closed. "I'm guessing it's the exact same as yours, right? Helena's room looked exactly like this too."

An unfamiliar feeling settled in my stomach as all the muscles in my body clenched. "Oh," I tried to keep my voice light, "were you in Helena's room?"

"No, I just saw inside her room while I was walking by it yesterday." He stopped and smirked. "Why, were you jealous?" He taunted me.

I picked up a pillow and through it at him, then rolled my eyes. "No, of course not. But, since we are allies, and this IS the Hunger Games, I do kind of have a reason to be a bit suspicious."

He looked a bit disappointed and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps in the hall. They stopped for a moment, the picked up again, seemingly getting closer.

"Shit!" Haymitch hissed. "It's got to be Effie. She told me she was going to wake us up around now if we weren't already up." He looked around quickly. "Quick. Get under the bed."

I crawled under the bed and peeked around Haymitch's feet just in time to see Effie open the door.

"Oh good, you're up." She sounded a bit worried. "Have you seen Maysilee around? I just went to wake her up, but she wasn't there. Everyone has to be on the go early today, since there is so much prep that has to go into getting ready for the interviews."

"Yeah, actually, I thought I heard someone walking around outside about 10 minutes ago. It was probably her. You should go wake up Red and Helena, and she'll probably be back when you're done, ok?"

She sighed what I could only assume was a sigh of relief. "Sure." The footsteps started up again and the door closed. I crawled out from under the bed and, without a word to Haymitch, crept back to my room.

I had only been in my room for a few minutes when Effie poked her head in the door. "Oh, good, you're back." I tried to keep a blank look on my face as she smile blandly at me. "You have to be down with Jade and Emma in 15 minutes, ok? You'll eat down there. The interviews air at 9:00, and there is going to be a special banquet for tributes and mentors and all the teams that starts at 6:00. Will you be down in 15?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Mom."

Effie blushed and opened her mouth to say something, before changing her mind and heading out of the room. I collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. There were so many thing that I had to sort out, but I knew there was no time. Reluctantly, I left the safety of my room and headed down to the basement of the training centre, where Emma and Jade were waiting.

Hours later I sat with Helena, after spending a good chunk of the day being poked and prodded by our prep team, in contrasting dresses.

"So," I mused, "it's interesting what they chose to do this year for us. You know, like the whole contrasting thing. Good and bad."

"Dark and light." Helena added.

"White and black." I looked down at the dress I had been forced into a few short minutes before. It was long and white, with shimmering straps criss-crossing down the open back before ending in a sweeping skirt. In contrast, Helena had been squeezed into a tight fitting black dress, all lines and angles that made her look like the warrior that she was.

That morning, when the four of us had gathered in the prep room, Emma and Jade had announced our District's theme for the interviews: good vs. evil. One of each of us was to be good (hence the white), and one would be evil (black). Which was how we all ended up in formal attire, standing uncomfortably in a hall.

"So," Helena murmured, "who do you think is going to be evil for the guys?"

I looked at her and at the same time we both said "Haymitch!" and burst out laughing. As we were bent over laughing the guys walked out of their dressing room, staring at us in total confusion. Sure enough, Haymitch was dressed in a black tux, while Red was in a white one, which caused us to double over in another fit of laughter.

"What happened?" Haymitch asked us. "Did we miss something?"

I shook my head as Helena straightened up to look at them. Red's hair was slicked back over his head, while Haymitch's had been left in its usual state. "Nothing at all. We really should get going though."

Red shrugged. "Meh. Since we're going to die tomorrow, we might as well take one last chance to torment Effie."

We looked at each other and smiled before heading off to be late for the ball.

An hour later the banquet was over, and we were left to mingle among the other tributes, mentors, Gamemakers, and victors. No one was making any particular effort to socialize, so the District 12 tributes hadn't made any effort to walk around either. Haymitch, Helena and I were still sitting at our table talking, while Red was flirting with some of the girls from Districts 6 and 7. I was getting distracted from our conversation, however, by the sight of the girl from District 11 girl, who had saved me from the axe during training, sitting by herself at her table after the rest of the District 11 tributes had disappeared to various place. I rose from the table and, after promising I would be back in a minute, I headed toward her table.

I sat down beside her and she looked up at me warily. "Hi! I'm Maysilee." I smiled at her, hoping that she would warm up a little bit.

"Seraphine." She replied, still uncertain.

"I never got a chance to thank you for what you did for me during practice. You know, pushing me out of the way of the axe like that? It was brave." I still smiled at her, and she seemed to relax a little bit.

"It was no problem. After all, Hunger Games or not, no one deserves to die like that." She smiled at me. "Except maybe the girl who threw the axe." She lowered her voice. "I heard her talking to the other careers about whether they would be able to pick off some tributes before we got in the arena, and make it look like an accident."

We chatted easily for a few more minutes before I glanced back to see Helena and Haymitch staring at me. "Seraphine?" I asked "Do you want to come sit with us?"

She looked genuinely surprised at the question, but still accepted, and returned to the table with us. After returning to the table the four of us, and eventually Red too, continued talking until it was time to go to the interviews.

It was two hours into the interviews and I was dying of boredom. The tributes from Districts 1-10 had already gone, leaving only District 11 and 12 left to finish their interviews. Seraphine was on the stand now, being interviewed by Caesar Flickman, who was dressed in his usual midnight suit, and had his hair and eyebrows died dark green this year. I really wanted to listen to her, but found myself drifting in and out of reality as the boredom started to take hold of me again. Some interviews past more quickly than others, and I couldn`t even bring myself to pay attention to Helena. But, when Haymitch stepped up to the podium I snapped back into focus.

"So, Haymitch, you`re from District 12, huh?"

"From District 12 and proud of it." He smirked as the audience laughed.

"So, Haymitch, what do you think of the Games having one hundred percent more competitors than usual?" asked Caesar.

Haymitch shrugged. "I don't see that it makes much difference. They'll still be one hundred percent as stupid as usual, so I figure my odds will be roughly the same."

The audience burst out laughing and Haymitch gave them a half smile. Sitting in the back I smiled, before settling down in my seat to listen to the rest of the interview.

When it came time for my interview, I wasn`t surprised the Caesar asked me only the most basic questions. Only one question and answer stuck in my mind from the entire experience.

"´So, Maysilee, did you leave anyone special back in District 12?" Caesar smiled at me.

Before I could think about it, a smile crossed my face, and Caesar leaned forward a bit. "Yes." The word flew out of my mouth before I could think about it.

Caesar's dyed eyebrows rose as his lips curled. "Any names?"

Realizing what I had done I shook my head and pretended to play coy. The rest of the interview flew by, and as I went to sit back down, the only thing I noticed was the strange look on Haymitch's face.

Later that night I was shaken awake by Haymitch, and before I was fully awake he dragged he up to the roof, claiming he wanted to "discuss strategy" for tomorrow.

"Come on Maysilee, wake up!" I just glared at him.

"Those interviews were enough to put me to sleep, and I certainly didn`t want to be woken up. Besides, shouldn`t we be sleeping for tomorrow?"

"NO!" He shouted, then seemed to calm down a little. "I mean, we really need to figure out what's going to happen in the arena."

I narrowed my eyes at him as my body tensed. "Really?"

"Yeah." He replied lamely, then mumbled, "And I thought you might want to have one last night to relax a bit before the arena."

I relaxed then, and smiled at him. "Well, I guess you were right." I lay back and looked up at the stars. "They're so beautiful. I'm going to miss them. You know..." My voice trailed off and I looked at Haymitch, who had lain down beside me.

"I sure do." He whispered.

"And the moon." I whispered. "I can't remember the last time it was that full. It's like the heart of the night." A tear started to roll down my face as I realized I might never see it this full again.

"Hey, whoa, are you crying?" Haymitch had rolled up onto one arm and was looking at me worriedly.

I sniffled and wiped my eyes. "Of course not."

He rolled his eyes and sat up. I sat up too and looked at him. His face hardened a bit and he looked away.

"What's wrong, Haymitch?" I leaned a bit closer to him and he looked back at me.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just going to miss you."

Tears welled up in my eyes again as I leaned on his shoulder. "I'm going to miss you too."

We sat in silence for what seemed like forever before he spoke again. "May? Who was the someone special that Caesar asked about today?"

My head snapped up and I looked at Haymitch, who had an odd, intense expression on his face.

"Maysilee?"

"Haymitch."

"Who was it?" He said it a bit more forcefully now.

"Why? Are you jealous?" I repeated his words from earlier back to him.

He snorted. "No."

A couple seconds passed before he asked again. "Seriously though, who was it?"

I turned to look at him, completely serious now. "Haymitch. It was you."

A million expressions passed over his face. "Really?"

"Really."

Finally, after a few minutes of just staring at each other, he leaned in and kissed me.

I couldn't tell how long we kissed for, but when we broke apart he just looked at me, and I looked back.

"Haymitch-" My voice cracked a little bit, and I could tell from the serious expression on his face that he was thinking the exact thing that I was.

"Maysilee, I don't think we can be allies anymore." His voice was low.

I just nodded.

"I'm sorry." He said bluntly.

I hugged him for a minute, and whispered, "I know. Me too." in his ear before leaping up and running back down to my room. As I settled in bed it truly hit me for the first time how much I was about to lose. Then, finally, the tears came.

**Once again, sorry for the HUGE delay. Also, please don't kill me, but, the next update probably won't be up for a while since it is almost time for my exams, though I will try to finish as fast as possible! :( Thanks for all the reviews from last chapter, and hope you liked the chapter. OH! Also, to clear it up, the reason this story is in past tense is because Maysilee is telling it from an as of yet unspecified time in the future, looking back on her Hunger Games. (Kind of like in To Kill a Mockingbird)... So, please review! Flames will be used to burn my textbooks when my exams are over! **


	10. A Twisted Kind of Beautiful

**I'm all done exams now, so I present chapter 10... (I think)**

Although I had been up late thinking the night before, I surprisingly wasn't tired when Effie gently shook me awake the next morning.

"Maysilee, sweetie, it's time." My eyes slowly flickered open and I looked around. There was a 23/24 chance that this would be the last room, the last bed, that I would ever sleep in. Part of me wanted to close my eyes and just sink back into my dreams, but I knew that eventually I would have to face this day, so I wearily swung my legs out of the bed. I was sitting right next to Effie, and to my surprise she reached out and awkwardly patted me on the back. "Atta girl. Everyone else is already up, so I'll just give you a few moments. I figured you probably didn't sleep well last night, because, well, you know..."

She trailed off and my stomach clenched, thinking that maybe, she knew about- No, she couldn't... She had to be talking about the arena. I smiled a little bit at her and we both stood up.

"I'll just give you a minute to freshen up and then I'll see you downstairs. You have a busy day ahead of you." She turned and walked toward the door.

"Effie?" She turned to look at me, a hint of shock hidden in her face. "Thank you." She smiled at me then, and I could clearly see that a little bit of sadness tugged at the corners of her mouth and wavered behind her eyes. She silently stared at me for a moment then turned back toward the door and walked out, closing the door behind her and leaving me alone with my memories.

When I walked into the entrance hall of the training centre 10 minutes later I was relieved to see that only Helena was sitting on a bench, her head in her hands. I jogged toward her and all but collapsed onto the bench beside her. She lifted her head up as if she had been shaken out of a reverie.

"Hey." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes when she looked up at me, and it quickly slid out of place. When her face started to crumple I instinctively reached out and wrapped my arms around her.

"May, I'm scared." She barely whispered it into my ear. Her back started shaking softly, and I could feel my own eyes filling up with tears. They spilled over, and I held on even more tightly to Helena. Her arms reached up and closed over my back, and in that moment I was sure of something that I hadn't been sure of at all before.

"Allies?" I whispered. Shocked, Helena pulled away.

"Like, seriously?" I nodded and her face lit up. "But I thought you and..." Seeing my face harden she wisely stared away from the topic. "Nevermind. Of course I'll be your ally!"

"Good. We'll have to find each other somehow in the arena. I mean if we survive the... You know what, nevermind. We'll be fine. Um, there has to be a river somewhere, right? We'll meet by the river before sun up on the first night, ok?"

Helena nodded, and before we could plan any further she secretly pointed over my shoulder. "Effie's coming." I nodded again and we turned to face forward as Effie approached us.

"Come on, ladies we're running a bit late." Effie looked a bit too flustered to notice, so as we were herded out the door I quietly whispered, "We'll talk more after."

After separating from Effie and Helena, I was ushered into a small room where Jade, my stylist, sat waiting, along with the rest of my prep team. Octavia immediately rushed over to me, and was followed quickly by Venia and Ebony, who both looked a little bit spaced out.

"You poor dear!" Octavia whispered. I nodded in agreement; after all, I could be dead in 24 hours. "You didn't even have time to brush your hair this morning."

Despite it all, I still managed to choke down a giggle as Venia also nodded in agreement. "Yes, poor me." I managed to keep a straight face as I replied.

Octavia lifted up a chunk of my hair, stared at it for a moment and dropped it as Jade spoke up. "We'll have to do something simple." The others nodded before setting off to work. "Octavia, maybe a braid for the hair, and Venia, no makeup. We all know how horrible it can look after a few days." As if previously agreed upon, they all shivered, obviously remembering a previous competitor. "Maybe some moisturizer though. And Ebony, make her nails sharp. You never know when they might come in handy."

The set to work on me, with Ebony filing my nails into points, Venia gently rubbing moisturizer on my body, and Octavia softly brushing my hair in a way that reminded me of my sister. Marielle. I desperately wondered how she was doing. If she was holding up well with me gone. It comforted me a little bit to know that Lia was there with her, and that she would keep them both safe. I knew deep down that later, when I was sent into the arena for the first time, they would both be a mess, but that they would pull through. After all, they would have to keep pulling through when, no longer if, I died. Maybe they had already accepted it.

I could feel my falsely cheerful spirit being dragged down, so I shook myself out of the dream and tried to concentrate on what was being done. Octavia was now braiding my hair into a long, winding plait that reached half way down my back. It was tight too, which was good, so hopefully it would hold up in the arena. Ebony was coating my nails in a dull grey polish, which was going on so thick that I would be surprised if it ever chipped. "For camouflage." She whispered when I turned to look at her. Venia had left the room, and was now walking back, clutching a full length white jumpsuit that must be this year's uniform for the arena.

She draped it over a bench then walked back over. "Can you ladies check over the jumpsuit to make sure it's ok?" She said, still a bit zoned out.

"Sure!" They both replied cheerfully. I stared at the suit. It definetly wasn't a smart idea on the part of the Gamemakers. Those suits would be filthy within minutes, if not seconds.

Once the ladies were preoccupied looking at the suit, Venia bent down and smiled at me, her eyes still cheerfully cloudy. Suddenly, her eyes snapped into clear focus and her expression became serious. "Listen, and listen carefully, because I'm only going to tell you this once." She hissed at me, and I nodded, taken aback by her sudden change. "You can tell this to whoever you want, but be careful, because this could be very useful." She stressed the very. "You might think that suit isn't going to last, but you'd be surprised how useful it could be, say if it was dirtied up properly." At this point I was extremely confused, and I could tell that it showed all over my face. "Clue in Maysilee." She snapped. "I'm telling you this for a reason. You're surprisingly street smart for a girl who was raised in such a sheltered family. One word. Camouflage. It could be perfect, but if you don't do it by the first nightfall you'll all stick out like sore thumbs." It clicked then. "But be careful who you trust. Promise me you'll be careful who you trust. From what I've seen you're on the right track, but be careful of the girl with the ax, I heard about your little incident, and it doesn't sound good." She grabbed my hand. "Promise."

A bit shocked, I nodded slowly. "I promise."

"Good." Her eyes glazed back over then and she meandered over to where the other two were standing. They lifted up the jumpsuit and helped me step into it, then zipped it up. Looking into my eyes, Octavia reached down and hugged me hard, then Ebony rubbed my back, and finally Venia leaned down and whispered, "Remember." as she wrapped me in a crushing hug. Jade then put an arm around my shoulder and led me out into the hall where she sat me on a bench to wait for Effie or Mr. Applegate, whoever would be escorting me to the arena. Jade told me the usual, it had been wonderful to work with me, etc. blah, blah, blah.

I had been sitting alone for a few minutes when I heard footsteps echoing down the hall. I looked up and was amused to see Helena being dragged down the hall be her stylist, Emma. After they said goodbye, Helena dropped down on the bench beside me. "Looks like the Capitol was too cheap to spring for new hovercrafts, so it looks like we're stuck together for the ride."

I smiled and threw my arms around her. "At least the last person I see before I go into the arena is going to be a friend." She laughed before disentangling herself from my hug. We talked for what seemed like forever before we heard footsteps coming down the hall. I was expecting to see Effie or Mr. Applegate walking around the corner, but I was instead shocked to see our mentor, Leilani, walking toward us. We had met with her both separately and as a group since we had first come to the Capitol, but she had been so weak that none of us had unnecessarily burdened her. Now though, as she walked toward us she seemed stronger, more like the girl who had won the Games, and less like our weak mentor.

"Are you girls ready to go?" She smiled kindly at us as we rose from the bench. We nodded and followed her down the hall leading to our doom.

The hovercraft ride, although not long, had been mostly silent. We were now standing almost alone in the rooms underneath. As Leilani bundled us into the little shuttles that would take us up to the level of the arena she had one last piece of advice for us.

"Whatever you do, get away from the Cornucopia as fast as you can, alright? That is definetly not a good place to be once the Career pack gets loose with weapons. If you can, grab something, but do it quickly." She instructed us one last time.

Helena and I nodded and quickly wave goodbye as the glass doors closed on us. Slowly the pods started to rise, finally stopping at what I knew to be the level of the arena. The doors glided open and I stepped into the arena. What I saw there, however, shocked me. It was amazingly, terrifyingly breathtakingly, beautiful.

**Hope you enjoyed... Next chapter, training ends and the Games begin. I can't remember if it mentioned who died in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia in CF, but if it did, I might have to vary it slightly based on how I want the story to turn out. Reviews are much appreciated!**


	11. Into the Forest

**Guess what! I'm still here! I'm really REALLY sorry that this took so long, but there were circumstances that were completely out of my hands that delayed this chapter. :( Also, to the people who nominated this story for the Hunger Games Summer 2010 Awards, thank you, you guys rock!**

When the cannon went off to signify the start of the Games, no one moved a muscle. We were all entranced by the magnificent sight before us. In between the 48 tributes, the Cornucopia lay in a sprawling meadow, which was flanked in the distance by trees and a mountain that reached up into the calm blue sky. One by one I could see the other tributes shake their heads and start running towards something. It was so beautiful, and I couldn't understand why they were- Oh god. I snapped out of my spell as I realized where I was. Already, a handful of my new enemies had reached the Cornucopia, and in the distance Haymitch was already disappearing into the forest. Slightly stunned I dashed toward the Cornucopia, but stopped when I remembered the words of my mentor. Having just reached the outer edge of the Cornucopia, I grabbed a small backpack that was lying by my feet and took off into the woods where Haymitch had disappeared minutes ago, away from the carnage that was already starting.

As the woods enveloped me I could hear the distant screams of everyone caught in the mess I had left behind. I broke into a run, and the screams slowly faded into the distance. There was nothing I could have done for anyone. Once I was sure I was far enough into the woods, I stopped to rest. After a moment I tried to keep going, but wasn't in good enough shape to make it much farther. Eventually, after what seemed like hours, I collapsed by a tall tree, completely worn out and still clutching the small backpack tightly. I slowly unwound my fingers from the handle of the bag and shook out the stiff muscles. I had to find somewhere to hide, but where?

The answer came to me in the form of an acorn falling on my head. As I looked up to see where it came from, I noticed the tree I was sitting under would be a perfect hiding spot. Without thinking, I threw the backpack up into the tree. It stayed for a second, and then, with a loud crack, came tumbling back down. I looked around, praying no one had heard it, then tried again. This time it stuck, so I tried to climb up after it. Slowly, but surely, I found branches to use and footholds, and within 15 minutes I was up in the tree, hidden by the leaves. Then, I remembered Venia's words to me only this morning.

"Listen, and listen carefully, because I'm only going to tell you this once. This could be very useful. You might think that suit isn't going to last, but you'd be surprised how useful it could be, say if it was dirtied up properly. Camouflage. It could be perfect, but if you don't do it by the first nightfall you'll all stick out like sore thumbs." I had already forgotten to follow the best piece of advice that had been given to me. The knees and legs of my suit were already muddy from the few times I had tripped, but the rest of it was still bright white, a clear target in the dark forest.

Carefully I scrambled back down the tree and surveyed the small clearing I was in. Dirt. I grabbed handfuls of it and started to rub it into my suit. Small pieces held for only moments, then fell off. I gritted my teeth and started looking around the clearing, finally finding a mud puddle underneath a bush with delicious looking berries that I could pick later. I started sloppily tossing mud onto my suit, my face, and finally, my hair. Once I was satisfyingly brown I climbed back up into the relative safety of the tree.

Once I was settled in my tree, I quietly opened the zipper on my backpack and poked around to see what was inside. After pulling out a bowl and some dried beef, a straw-like contraption and some darts that looked like they could fit into the straw thing, I was a bit disappointed that I hadn't gotten anything useful as a weapon. After all, what would darts do? Prick someone? Annoy them? I sighed quietly and continued to study my load. Suddenly I was jolted out of my thoughts as a loud blast, followed shortly by another one. The cannons. As they consecutively fired I followed and counted them. Eighteen. That left only twenty-nine for me to fight in order for me to get home safely. _At least Haymitch is safe. _A little voice whispered in my head. Secretly I was happy, but there was no sense in being glad that the only person in this arena that I wouldn't be able to kill is still alive. Except- Then, a single thought broke into my head. Helena. I had forgotten about Helena.

Many tense hours passed for me after this realization, but there was nothing I could do but wait it out in my hiding spot. Helena had planned for us to meet at a river only this morning, which now seemed so long ago. In the silence of the forest I listened for any sounds of running water. Faintly, I thought I could hear water in the distance. Knowing I would have to wait until night to do anything, I once again settled into the tree to wait out the night.

Once again, I opened up my bag and searched through it until I found the darts at the bottom. I gently rolled them over in my hands, trying to figure out exactly what they could be useful for. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a figure in my clearing below. Pushing the leaves of the tree apart further, I watched a tall boy surveying the bush that was going to be a meal for me later. He picked a berry, rolled it around in his hand, and smelled it before throwing it down on the ground and walking away.

I sighed in relief: my food source was still there. As the hours started to slip by, I grew more restless, waiting and wondering who had died in the bloodbath that morning. Finally, the sky lit up with the Capitol's flag, and the faces of those who had died started to appear, silhouetted against the calm, clear sky. Surprisingly, the first face to show up was one of the girls from District 1, a small brunette who looked to be about 12. District 2 was skipped over, and only one from District 3 had died. Completing the death toll of eighteen were a boy from District 4, two from District 5, all of District 6, one from District 7, two from District 8, one from District 9, three from District 10, and one from District 11.

I held my breath waiting for the final death, and when the face came onto the screen it was like a punch in the gut. It was the face of a person I had seen alive and well only hours before. It was the face of a person I would never talk to again. It was the face of the fourth tribute from District 12. Red. Admittedly, the guy had been a downright annoying jerk at times, but it didn't mean I had wanted him to die. Silently, I said a prayer for Red, then thanked God that I was still alive, and that my friends and allies were too. I mean, my friend and ally. Of course.

Slowly, I fell into a fitful sleep, only to be awakened hours later by footsteps in the clearing below. I peered down and saw the boy from earlier approaching the berry bushes once again, holding a bowl similar to my own. He started to grab berries by the handful, shoving them into his bowl. Then, almost wildly, he stuffed a large handful into his mouth and swallowed. Almost immediately, he went still. Out of nowhere, his whole body started to shake and foam at the mouth. He fell to the ground like a rock and suddenly became perfectly still once more. That was when the cannon blast rocked the forest. I watched in complete and total disbelief as the metal claw reached down and lifted the body out of the forest, into the sky and out of sight.

After waiting in silence for a long while after the boy's death, I slid down to the ground and cautiously approached the bush, next to which the dead boy's bowl, berries spilling out of it, lay. Tentatively I reached down and picked the bowl up. Some berries still lay in the bottom. The pieces started clicking in my head. I reached down and started scooping up the berries into the bowl. Another bag, which must have belonged to the dead boy, caught my eye from where it lay, half hidden, under a bush next to the berry bush. I scooped it up and opened it, thrilled to find more food and a little pouch to store the berries in. Once I had all of my things packed away I headed into the woods in the direction of the sound of flowing water that I could hear. Suddenly, I heard rustling behind me, and I picked up speed.

As I ran ahead, the sounds of the stream got louder, but so did the sound of footsteps. Flailing along, I reached the edge of another clearing, through which a river flowed. Then out of nowhere I went flying to the ground, skidding to a stop on the riverbank. The footsteps of the person approaching continued to get steadily louder. Frantically, I looked around for somewhere to run, but the river stretched as far as I could see in either direction, leaving me nowhere to escape to. I thought briefly about braving the cold wetness of the river, but I had never learned how to swim, so the river would be as certain a death as waiting on its banks would be.

Then, to my horror, the bushes broke apart and a figure stepped out of the shadows and into the clearing, gleaming knife pointed exactly in my direction.

**Ooooooh. Guess who? Will Maysilee live? Actually, don't answer that. Will Maysilee leave this encounter unharmed? Or will she face a fate worse than death in the arena? You'll find out soon, because I promise the next chapter won't take as long as this one did. :) Also, I'm thinking about writing another oneshot, much different than (but oh so the same as) my last one, focusing on Haymitch after he get out of the arena. I'm thinking about calling it Golden :) . Actually, what is it with me, cliffies and oneshots? Didn't I write my last oneshot after a cliffhanger? Never mind. So, as always, press the review button, and tell me what you think! Oh, and talk to you again soon with my next update!**


	12. A Hidden Ally

**As promised, a new update!**

The figure kept advancing, sharp blade glinting in the moonlight. I knew that this would be the end. I only hoped Helena was nowhere near here. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, then opened them to see the person step across a beam of moonlight shining into the forest. This sinister look in her eyes made the face completely unrecognizable from the person I had seen outside the arena.

"Helena?" I whispered, and the figure stopped her advance.

"Maysilee?"

I stood up and cautiously stepped toward her so the moonlight shone on my face as well. Helena's face relaxed, and the hand which held the knife dropped to her side.

"I had no idea who you were!" I whispered. "I thought I was dead for sure!"

She smiled a little. "I'm glad it was you too. I have no idea how to use this knife!"

"So," I asked, "did you get anything at the Cornucopia?"

She shook her head. "No. I think someone dropped this knife heading into the forest. I was kind of surprised to find it."

"I'm so glad we found each other." I sighed in relief and wrapped my arms around her for a moment. Suddenly I stiffened. Almost silent footsteps could be heard, rustling the tree branches. I pulled away from a confused Helena, grabbed her arm and motioned for her to be quiet and listen. Almost immediately after she did her eyes widened and she started looking around frantically. I grabbed for her wrist and started pulling her quietly into the trees. We crept steadily further into the forest until we lost the footsteps behind us.

Extremely tired now, we collapsed at the base of a tree for a moment. Half asleep, I looked around the familiar clearing. "Hey, Hel, this is the clearing I was hiding in earlier." I turned to see her reaching to grab a handful of berries to eat. Alarmed, I reached out and smacked her arm, causing her to drop the berries.

"What the hell Maysilee!" She glared at me. "I'm hungry."

"Well eat something else. They're poisonous." I pointed at the berries.

"Oh."

I shrugged my bag off of my shoulder, then reached inside it to grab a piece of bread. "Eat this instead." I handed it to her.

As Helena started to eat the bread, I looked around the clearing, searching in the low light for the tree I had been hiding in earlier. The darkness of the forest made it hard to distinguish one tree from another, but eventually I managed to locate what I thought was the tree I had spent most of the day hiding in. I climbed up into the tree, followed quickly by Helena. We settled into the tree, then checked through the supplies. I found everything I had hidden in the backpacks, but when I looked up, Helena was frantically searching around.

"Helena?" I asked quietly.

"Ilosttheknife." She muttered.

"What?"

"I lost the knife."

My stomach clenched. So much for having an actual weapon. We were back once again to the darts hidden deep in my bag.

"I must have dropped it while we were running." She looked disgusted with herself.

"It's ok. We didn't really need it, and we didn't know how to use it either. So it doesn't really matter." I shrugged.

Her shoulders drooped.

"I'm serious, Helena. We don't need it."

She gave me a weird look.

"Really."

"Alright, May." She sighed. "I still feel bad though."

"We still have a weapon." I pulled the darts out of my bag. "I'm not 100% sure how useful it's going to be, but it's still a weapon."

She reached out and too them from me, rolling them over in her hands, a curious expression on her face.

"I think I saw one of these in the Seam before. I don't really know." She looked thoughtful. "I know that the gun is called a blowgun, and you use it like this." She put the gun up to her mouth, with the darts facing towards an unseen enemy, and blew. "It can be useful for killing animals, but I don't know how you'd kill a human with it."

"Neither do I." I sighed, then yawned.

"You must be tired." Helena whispered. "I slept a bit earlier, so you sleep first, and I'll guard."

I was tired, so I quickly agreed to Helena's plan and nestled down in the tree.

"I'll wake you in a bit." Helena nudged me.

"Okay." I murmured, already falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When Helena jolted me awake, I was so surprised that I sat straight up, causing my legs to jerk. The connected with something solid, which gave way, thudding on the ground a moment later.

"Shit." I looked around frantically. "What was that?"

Helena looks just as confused as I am. "I have no idea."

I peered through the trees, and, to my surprise, saw my backpack on the ground.

Helena looked down too. "Crap. I just took the weapon out of the food bag and put them into a different bag." She pulled the other bag from it's perch and looked inside it.

As Helena shifted through the contents of the remining bag, I tried to decide what was worse: losing out meager food supply, or losing our small stash of weapons.

"Food." Helena whispered.

"What?"

"This is our food bag. Those," She gestured to the bag on the ground, "are our weapons."

"I knocked them over. I'll get them." I volunteered.

No sooner had I stepped onto the next branch thean Helena tensed.

"There's someone coming."

"Jesus." I tried to scramble back into the tree, but just as I got a good grip, the branch I was standing on snapped, tumbling to the forest floor.

"Maysilee!" Helena grabbed my arm and started to pull. I pushed as hard as I could but still we weren't getting anywhere.

Far below us, another tribute walked into the clearing. They stopped and started to look around.

"Hide, Helena. There's no sense in both of us dying." Reluctantly, she disappeared back into the tree.

The stranger had caught sight of my bag and was now looking through it. As they searched I used my foot to feel around for another branch.

CRACK. The stranger's head flew up, and I could tell that they had seen me dangling from the branches. I closed my eyes and braced myself for my inevitable death. Seconds passed. They slowly turned into minutes, and still I hung from that branch, tired and sore, but alive.

I started as an arm grabbed me around the waist. Knowing it was the stranger from below I started to thrash about, hoping I could shake them off.

"Hold still." A familiar voice hissed up. My eyes flew open in shock and I looked down. Sure enough, Haymitch was standing below me.

"Helena." I whispered. "C'mere."

Her face appeared through the branches. "Help me up."

Slowly, I was pushed and pulled up into the tree. A shocked Helena pulled me into a hug, which was only broken by a _thump _as something was hurled into the tree.

Helena grabbed it an studied it for a moment. "Our weapons."

Once again I peered through the leaves, but already Haymitch had disappeared, leaving us alone in the arena once again.

Helena shook me out of my thoughts. "Who was it May?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. I really don't."

We lapsed into silence, broken only by a trickle of rain falling outside.

"I going to go to sleep now." Helena yawned.

"Go ahead, sorry." I smiled a bit. "I'll watch everything."

As she was slowly lulled to sleep, I stared at the trees. Suddenly I sat up and grabbed the weapons bag. I pushed through it, looking for anything that hadn't been there before. On the up side, everything was still there. On the down side? There was nothing new.

With a sigh I hung the weapons bag on a branch. Leaving Helena I climbed a bit higher to the top of the tree and pushed the branches aside. All around me the arena sprawled, it's breathtaking beauty hiding it's sinister purpose.

Far away, the mountain rose out of the meadow, it's shadows concealing tributes hiding within. Already, nineteen were dead, but there were still twenty-nine alive. It was a big arena, with huge secrets, ones I could only dream of, and as for me? I had no one to count on but myself.

The Hunger Games had begun.

**Whooo! Almost done! (Not actually). So, have you read Mockingjay yet? Tell me what you thought! Also, there's a poll on my profile that is going to let you decide how Helena dies! I thought I knew how she was going to die, but a review gave me another good idea. I won't tell you what won, or when she's going to die, but you'll get to help decide! As always, R&R, and I will talk to you with the next update!**


	13. A Ray of Light

**This chapter is dedicated to anyone who stuck with this story through the 56 days since I last updated! Also, please don't kill me for the beginning, it gets better, (then worse again, but we won't mention that), I SWEAR! Oh, and there's a Haysilee reunion next chapter!**

I was running.

Around me the forest blurred into a haze of trees of trees and shadows. Somewhere ahead of me Helena stumbles over the uneven ground, both of us frantically scrambling towards an unknown destination, a safe haven. Behind me, closing in on us, branches snap as another faceless enemy closes in on us. Around us the darkness presses in, leaving only a tunnel of light in front of me.

Branches scratch at me, tearing my clothes, my skin, my hair, my bags. A sharp branch gashes a wide cut in my outstretched palm, then deep into my forehead, but the pain does not register.

I am the prey.

I am being chased.

My feet race over the earth, speeding to match my skittering pulse. The end is drawing closer, each second ticking away to reveal the conclusion, the horrible end.

Would I live?

Would I die?

Who would I lose?

Would _anyone _survive the blood bath that was surely coming?

But of course, it could not be near. No, that glorious warm light is drawing further away from me.

So I run.

I run to catch the ending, not wanting to draw out the agony any longer. I can no longer see my ally, my friend. She has disappeared into the light.

Is she gone? I wonder sadly, but no answer presents itself to me.

Then I am flying.

Flying into the light.

I am peaceful for a moment. But the peace can never last.

I hit the ground, my head slamming into the unforgiving rock.

For a moment the world goes black.

I am at peace again.

Then, slowly, my vision clears, and colours and shadows twist together to pierce my brain.

Detached, I vaguely remember that I have been here before. This clearing is familiar.

I smile at the irony that I have been in this exact situation before.

**Then the footsteps stop.**

An unfamiliar voice resounds through the clearing. "Looks like we over estimated them, man. When it came down to it they acted like to scared little girls."

Two people laugh, then the same person says, "You head back. I can take them easily." He pauses for a moment. "That one's a goner anyway. You saw how hard she hit the ground. And look at all that blood."

A cold laugh rings throughout the clearing.

I blink in shock, realizing they are talking about me. Slowly the feeling seeps back into my body, and I realized I am lying on my bag of weapons.

They are hidden.

I have time.

The blood that surrounds me does not affect me at all. I have new strength.

Two sets of footsteps sound, one fading into the distance, and one slowly approaching. The ground quakes slightly, almost undetectably as he walks by, stopping in my line of vision, towering over a whimpering Helena, who cowers by the same river I once waited for death by.

Now that his back is turned I seize my chance and sit up, grabbing the bag of weapons, which has slit open. I thrust my hand in and recoil. The blood must be worse than I had thought. Something slimy and red now covers all of the weapons and my cut hand. Tentatively I reach my bloody hand back into the bag and withdraw the only good weapon we have left: the blowgun.

As I rise and creep toward them, our hunter and the tortured Helena, I feel distant from the scene that is unfolding before me. Helena is standing, eyes closed, cowering before the enemy. He raises his hand and the blade of knife he is holding glint in the moonlight that filters through the trees into the clearing.

Then it slashes across her and she falls, falls into the river, which sweeps her off, never to be seen again.

I attack, plunging the needle deep into his neck. But, before I can tear down and rip through his jugular vein, he freezes, and he too falls, plunging into the river, crying out into the silent, empty forest.

Only then, as my world spins from that first kill, do I realize what had been on the dart.

Poison.

I turn to run, but stop abruptly as I see the person across the clearing, his face twisted into a cold mask.

As he sees my fear he laughs, the same cold laugh I had heard only seconds, no, minutes before from my pursuer. My weapon falls to the ground and a stab of pain shoots through my now empty hand.

Momentarily distracted, I look down at my hand and see a cut, the cut from the branches, and the poison, the poison from my weapon.

I am frozen in my place.

Then I drop.

The world shakes as my enemy walks towards me.

Haymitch bends over me.

He smirks, then utters the words I feared hearing from him, the ones that caused that tugging pain in my gut in all the time we spent together, before the Games tore us apart.

"Did you ever think I would really love _you_, Maysilee?"

_'Maysilee. Maysilee. Maysilee.'_

Once again my world starts shaking as my name echoes throughout the air, drowning out the cold, high sound of Haymitch's laughter.

Then it is black.

...

"Maysilee." The world was still shaking. "Maysilee." A pause. "Maysilee. Maysilee." Quiet.

"Maysilee, for god's sake, WAKE UP!" Helena's irritated voice pierced my sleepy haze.

"Maysilee!" She sounds scared now.

"M'awake, Hel." I slurred and sat up. "'Sup." I rubbed my eyes.

She grabbed me and shook hard. "Maysilee! Wake up! What's happening?" Then, so quietly, she whispered, "I'm scared."

It was then that I realized that the world was still shaking, and I snapped awake. "I don't know." I admitted

We had been in the arena for days now, maybe four, and it was all a blur. Gathering my wits, I pointed to the top of the tree we had chosen to take refuge in that night. "Climb." I ordered Helena, then scrambled up after her.

At the top of the tree was a spectacular sight. The sky all around us was alight in a range of oranges and red, illuminating the entire arena. Beside me, Helena inhaled and started to cough.

"What's that smell?" She sniffed the air again and a fearful look came over her face. "It smells like fire." There had been many fires in the Seam in my time, and, though I never lived there, just hearing about them had scared me so badly that I had had to sleep in Ellie's bed for weeks.

My first thought was the forest, but when I turned to Helena to answer my words were lost when I saw what lay behind us.

I stared in shock.

"What?" Helena demanded.

I just pointed, and she slowly looked, them gasped in a combination of amazement and horror.

On the horizon, the spectacular mountain had erupted into a volcano, with molten lava pouring down the sides and thick billowing clouds of black smoke poured into the sky.

"Was anyone-" My answer was cut off by a loud rumbling sound, which quickly filled the arena. As we watched and listened, the sound of the volcano wasn't quite loud enough to drown out the cannons, firing rapidly one after another, too quickly to count.

Helena nudged me. "We need to hide. This is loud enough to wake the whole arena, and we are going to be prime targets sitting like idiots on top of a tree."

I nodded, and we quietly started our descent toward the ground, only stopping to grab our packs on the way down.

Once I was safely on the ground I motioned for Helena to come down. She took one step before a branch cracked sickeningly and she plunged to the ground, landing painfully on her ankle. She stood quickly, wincing only slightly, then we started to run.

The forest had come alive, with shadowy movements everywhere we looked.

When we had gotten far enough from our tree we stopped and Helena tested out her ankle.

"It's not bad." She said a bit too loudly.

Somewhere around us a branch cracked.

We looked at each other frantically, then took off running again.

We ran until the sun finally rose into the smoke filled sky, stepping out into the meadow in sight of the Cornucopia only once before circling back to our tree.

Underneath the tree lay a dead body, one of a small boy a few year younger than I was, whose cannon blat had been lost in the frenzy of the night before. Sticking out of his back, shiny silver handle glinting, was a knife.

The metallic hand reached down to pick it up, and slowly retreated into the sky.

"Helena, that was a fresh kill. we have to move."

"I don't know if I can anymore." She replied, pain apparent in her voice.

Not giving her a choice I grabbed her hand and dragged her behind me as I fled the scene.

Finally we reached the edge of the meadow and I collapsed on a rock a few feet into the trees for a moment, then stood back up.

"We have to keep moving." I said to Helena, who was sitting on the ground.

Helena stood up and walked toward me. "No, Maysilee. I'm tired of running. We need to stop. We're safe here."

"Are you really that stupid?" I asked her. "This is the Hunger Games. We aren't safe ANYWHERE!"

She took another menacing step toward me. "Did you really just go there? You think I don't realize that?" She took a breath. "I'm going to die." She looked around, then bent down and ripped a flower out of the ground. "Face it Maysilee, we're BOTH going to die. Deep down, you know that too."

"Hel, I'm sorry." I whispered and hugged her.

"I know. Me too." She hugged me back. "I'm glad I met you."

"Me too."

She sighed. "I just wanted to take a minute and smell the frickin' flowers before I die." For emphasis she lifted the flower she was holding up to her nose and inhaled deeply.

Time stopped for a moment, then Helena fell to the ground and lay still.

I stared disbelievingly at her still form.

Then the cannon fired.

Without thinking I turned and ran, away from my friend, my ally, Helena, and disappeared into the dark forest.

...

**I REALLY didn't want to kill Helena, but I had too... :( After this chapter there are only 3 or 4 more chapters left! :( This is a really sucky note! :( So, as always, R&R, and hopefully RL will lay off me for a while so I can finish this story!**


	14. You Were Worth It

**Yay! New update! Flashbacks are in **_italics_**...**

Later that night I was once again hidden and I surveyed the sky, waiting and watching for the nightly update on deaths. Other nights I hadn't paid attention to these, watching only to see if _he_ was still alive, but tonight's broadcast had a special meaning for me. Why? Because a few hours ago my only friend, my only ally in this arena died. Helena. I smiled sadly, knowing both that she was in a much better place than this horrible arena, and I that I would not see her again until I went to join her there.

I remembered the moment we had first become friends, which felt so far away now, though it was only, no, it couldn't be, a week ago.

_"Are you scared at all?" Helena didn't look haughty and regal as she looked at me since the moment we had been chosen as tributes, but instead she looked just as scared as I felt inside._

_I looked back at her and, just for a moment, I let all my emotions show on my face before pushing them back down. "Of course I am." I wanted it to come out strong, but instead I sounded weak and frightened._

_For the first time in a very long time Helena Mitchell smiled at me. "You seemed so indifferent, like you didn't care that we're going to die. I know that I'm really scared."_

_"So am I." I smiled back at her._

That day, not so long ago, it had seemed like we were in a different world, not quite prepared for the horrors of the arena. I let myself get lost in memories once again, passing time until I could get the closure I needed.

_We had spent many hours being poked and prodded into what the Capitol considered to be perfect shape. Our skin had been peeled away, leaving new skin underneath. My blonde hair had been teased and curled and was now draping down over my shoulders, and Helena`s long straight black hair had been teased into a wild style. Dark coal-like makeup ringed our eyes, and dark red lipstick had been slathered on our lips. We looked like fearsome morphling addicts. There really was no other way to describe us._

_The costumes that had been created for us during the day were the most hideous costumse I had ever seen. The outfit that had been provided to Jade and Emma by Seneca Crane for the Quarter Quell were old orange miners jumpsuits, which our stylists had taken the liberty of modifying "slightly". First they had shortened the sleeves. Next they had cut open the legs and sewn them together, creating a tight skirt. They had the skirt shortened so it would barely cover our butts. Finally, they paired it with a hardhat, a pair of tall clunky lace-up boots, a pair of ripped black tights, and long ripped fingerless gloves._

_I turned to Helena, who was wearing a look of shock on her face that was identical to mine. She turned to me and whispered the exact thought that was on my mind: "We are going to look like hookers."_

I suppressed the need to giggle and instead settled back into the tree.

_"Hey." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes when she looked up at me, and it quickly slid out of place. When her face started to crumple I instinctively reached out and wrapped my arms around her._

_"May, I'm scared." She barely whispered it into my ear. Her back started shaking softly, and I could feel my own eyes filling up with tears. They spilled over, and I held on even more tightly to Helena. Her arms reached up and closed over my back, and in that moment I was sure of something that I hadn't been sure of at all before._

_"Allies?" I whispered. Shocked, Helena pulled away._

_"Like, seriously?" I nodded and her face lit up._

I was shocked out of my thoughts by the sound of the Capitol's anthem, and looked up into the sky where, sure enough, the Capitol's flag illuminated the arena.

Faces started rolling, and I was surprised to see not one, not two, but 7 Career tributes' faces among the day's death toll. One more face came up, the girl from 11, before I saw the face I had needed to see. Deep down, I was happy my friend had died the way she did: quietly and without pain.

Helena's face was the last one shown, leaving me with a mixed sense of relief and dread. I was alive. Haymitch was alive. Only one of us would make it out of the arena. I counted down on my fingers. Eight people were still alive. The dread started to take over. There were only six people in the way of Haymitch and me being the last two in the arena, a situation I would never, in a million years, want to face. I could imagine it now. We would evade each other for as long as possible, and then, when the end was inevitable, we would be thrown together. It would be hard, and we would both be fighting to kill, no holds barred. And even now, I knew who would win.

I shivered, and with those pleasant thoughts, settled down to sleep fitfully through my first ally-less night.

...

Some time later I was woken by a loud trumpet blast, which seemed to tear through the arena. Then, as I was trying to clear my foggy brain a voice sounded through the arena.

**_"Today has been a day of great loss for everyone in this arena. Whether it was the loss of allies, the loss of a friend, the loss of your best weapon, or the loss of your last supply of food and water, it has hit every surviving tribute hard."_**

I sat up quickly, intrigued by the words that seemed to swell throughout the arena.

**_"But, for every loss there comes a gain, a metaphorical window opened for a door that has closed. At sunrise, there will be a package, chosen for free by your mentors, waiting for each and every one of you at the Cornucopia. For some of you it might be something you can live without, but for others? Well, for others, without this package your time in the arena is extremely limited."_**

I started taking inventory of my supplies, trying to figure out what package could possibly be waiting for me at the Cornucopia. The voice continued.

**_"However, with necessity comes a greater need for sacrifice, and your packages will be place accordingly in the meadow. So, tributes, I leave you with a choice. Will your sacrifice of the past 24 hours have a purpose, or will all your losses go unnoticed? I will see those of you brave enough at dawn."_**

I continued to search feverishly through my supplies to see what could possibly be waiting for me at dawn. Everything I needed was there, except... I pulled out the small bag that contained the poison berries that Helena and I had collected days ago. It was empty.

A nagging thought came to my mind, almost as if the berries had a purpose for being in my bag, but I waved it away as no more that a doubt. Then I settled in, and decided to let my curiosity get the better of me and wait for dawn.

...

The sky of the arena had started to brighten, and I was making my was slowly and carefully toward the meadow, where the package waited for me.

I reached the part pf the forest that bordered the meadow and stopped, waiting. As I looked around for potential attackers my eye caught on a flower on the ground, and memories of yesterday came flowing back to me.

_Helena took a breath. "I'm going to die." She looked around, then bent down and ripped a flower out of the ground. "Face it Maysilee, we're BOTH going to die. Deep down, you know that too."_

_"Hel..." I whispered and hugged her._

_"I know." She hugged me back. "I'm glad I met you."_

_"Me too."_

_She sighed. "I just wanted to take a minute and smell the frickin' flowers before I die." For emphasis she lifted the flower she was holding up to her nose and inhaled deeply._

_Time stopped for a moment, then Helena fell to the ground and lay still._

_I stared disbelievingly at her still form._

_Then the cannon fired._

I was snapped out of the reverie by the sound of a cannon firing in real life. I dropped to the ground and waited in a crouch to see if anyone was approaching me. Once I was satisfied that there was no one around I straightened up and continued to watch the meadow.

Soon, the sun peeked out over the ruins of the volcano, and I knew it was almost time.

Without warning a hovercraft flew over the meadow and released seven packages attached to parachutes, ranging in size from tiny and square to long and thin, in a perfect line, which fluttered to the ground. The parachutes settled over the packages and on each silver foil dome was a number. The closest one to me was a small box, about ten meters away. As I strained to read the number a tall form broke out of the trees.

Suddenly the numbers became apparent, and I took them all in, looking for the two 12 packages I hoped were out there. I surveyed them and found two 1 packages on the far side of the field, followed by a 2 package, then an 11 package, a 2 package, and finally, closest to where I was, two packages labeled 12.

The form racing across the meadow grabbed the two 1 packages and disappeared into the trees. Once I was sure there was no one around I stole into the meadow, picked up the closest 12 package, and dashed back into the trees to watch.

Next to appear was Haymitch. My stomach clenched as he dashed right past me, grabbed the other 12 package, and disappeared into the trees, not stopping.

After Haymitch had been gone for a moment, the tall form from earlier returned across the meadow and grabbed the two 2 packages as well.

Finally, about an hour later, a red haired girl appeared out of the forest. Her eyes were glazed, there were cuts all over her body, her left leg was dragging and there appeared to be burns across her face. As quickly as she could she made her way to the only remaining package, the one meant for the only remaining tribute from District 11. It was then that I realized that she was the girl from training, the one who had saved me. Sickened, I turned just as she picked up her parcel and began to head back to the forest and began to run to somewhere safe.

Once I reached a sheltered tree slightly inside the forest I climbed up and set to work unwrapping the package. Gingerly I lifted the lid off to reveal...

Berries? Slowly, distantly I remembered the dream I had had just two nights ago, and my mentors reason for sending the berries to me suddenly became very clear. I sifted through them, and found a stick with a round end, which could be used for crushing the berries. I slowly started crushing the berries into a pulp.

Suddenly my head whipped up as I heard someone moving through the forest below. I peered through the branches and saw the girl from the meadow limping through the clearing. Slowly I reached into my bag and pulled out my blowgun before dipping it into the berries, and aim it at her.

Then I see what she doesn't. A fluffy golden squirrell, just one, sits in a tree above her, watching her ravenously. I shift my blowgun towards the muttation. I had seen these mutts around the forest, and realized now what this one was aiming to do. I pounced and I fired, hitting it in the stomach and knocking it out of the air just before it hits the girl. The mutt's body hits her and she screams, dropping to the ground.

A cannon fired, and I realized that her heart, already weakened, must have give out. I hear footsteps then, and spot another person heading towards us. One of the careers burst out of the trees and casually flipped the body over and ripped the back pack off the body of the girl who lay on the ground. He opened it and shifted through it as the hovercraft picked up the body. The shadowy person found what they were looking for and pulled it out. A water bottle. They took a sip, then went still and collapsed as another cannon fired.

I sprung into action, knowing more careers would be about shortly, looking for whoever had killed their ally. I jumped from the tree and hit the ground running, not bothering to look back.

I ran though the forest, heading deeper and deeper and further away from the meadow, not stopping until I was a safe distance away from the bodies. As my breathing and heart rate slow, my ears picked up on the faint sounds of combat, somewhere close. Knowing it was Haymitch and I against the Careers in the arena now, I jumped to the conclusion that Haymitch had to be involved in the fight and took off in the direction of the noises.

Sure enough, as I halted a meter into the trees from where the fight was taking place I could see that it was, indeed, Haymitch, fighting one of the careers with a knife.

They clashed and fought, and Haymitch was starting to get overpowered by the brute he was fighting.

I watched and waited, then, knowing I had to take the opportunity now and strike I picked up my blowgun, dipped a dart in poison and readied myself for the perfect moment.

They continued to fight, and just when I was starting to think my idea was in vain my target became clear.

Without hesitation I fired, and the laced dart sank straight into the Career's jugular vein, causing him to collapse to the ground.

Haymitch stared at the dart for a moment in shock, the dropped into a defensive stance as the Career's cannon fired.

I crossed my arms and stepped into the light. Haymitch looked surprised for a moment, then straightened up, keeping his knife at the ready.

We were silent for a moment. "We'd live longer with the two of us." I dropped my blowgun as a sign of surrender.

Haymitch was silent, thinking, then he dropped his knife too. "I guess you just proved that." He shrugged, and my stomach clenched, waiting to see who would make the first move toward where we had been going before the Games.

"Aliies?" Haymitch asked.

I nodded, unable to say anything.

"Good." He turned away from me, unwilling to show any emotion, then stuck his foot out and rolled the dead career onto his stomach.

I stood guard and he bent over the body, searching through his pack for anything we might need.

Once the boy's pack was empty we stood and stared at each other.

"That way." Haymitch pointed and set off in the direction he was pointing in. I followed, unsure of what to say.

"Did you go to the feast this morning?" He looked at me as I spoke.

"Yeah." He looked away, unwilling to make eye contact.

"What did you get?" I prompted.

He held up the knife he was using.

"Oh." We walked in silence for a minute.

"Did you?" He broke the silence

"Go? I did."

"And you got..."

I hesitated, not quite willing yet to trust Haymitch. "Food. I got food."

We settled into and uncomfortable silence.

"You know, if we're going to be allies we're going to have to get over this awkwardness at some point." I sighed.

Haymitch was silent.

"Haymitch?"

Still nothing.

"Dammit." I stomped on his foot in frustration, and he glared at me.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah." He muttered.

"And..."

"I'll think about it."

I rolled my eyes, and we continued walking.

A little while later I tried again. "Haymitch?"

"What." He fired back.

"Do you hate me?" I whispered.

He softened a bit. "No." He paused then muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"I said, I don't hate you, but I hate myself for putting us in this position. And you should hate me too. I would make this a hell of a lot easier." He muttered.

I stopped, and grabbed his wrist to stop him too. "Well tough luck, Haymitch, because I don't hate you. Actually, I-" I broke off.

"You know what, nevermind." I continued, then turned so we were facing each other. Tentatively, I stepped toward him and wrapped my arms around his chest. He stiffened, then slowly put a hand on my back.

"Whatever this is, and whatever happens, you were worth it Haymitch." I whispered, then stepped away. "Now come on, let's keep moving, before we both get killed."

I broke into a run, suddenly feeling light as a bird knowing that somewhere behind me, Haymitch was following.

...

**So, what do you think... New chapter quick enough? And long enough (this is the longest chapter so far!)? Also, please, please take a minute and review please, since there are only like two chapters left and getting reviews makes me want to write! :) Also, I made a little banner/poster for this story, which I posted on deviantART. The link is on my profile for anyone who wants to see it! So, if you want more, you know what to do... (REVIEW!)**


	15. Forgiveness and Vengeance

**So, after waiting EONS for this chapter, I finally present to you the second to last chapter of IATM (also, I must mention how i find it ironic that this story about Maysilee, who died when she was 16, has 16 chapters. Just sayin'). Last chapter will be up on/before February 2!**

Over the next day, Haymitch and I continued to push towards an unknown destination. We only came across a few obstacles, which were easily taken out now that the two of us were allies. We had reverted back to the awkward silence of the day after our kiss, only speaking a few select word to each other during meals, which we had in our bags, or to give directions on which way to go.

Tired out from a day of constant walking I finally grabbed Haymitch's arm and refused to go anywhere. "Haymitch, where the hell are we going? We've been walking in a straight line for an entire day, and I have no idea what's going on." He opened his mouth to talk, but I cut him off. "Oh great, so now you're willing to speak to me." My voice dripped with sarcasm, and Haymitch tried to wiggle out of my grip. I had reached my breaking point and refused to let go. "You've barely said a single word to me all day, so you'd better start explaining, now, or I'm leaving."

When he just stared at me, I turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait." The words quietly reached me.

"No." I replied, but stopped.

Haymitch took a step toward me and put a hand on my arm. I brushed it off, but reluctantly turned back and trudged past him to sit down. He joined me in silence and handed me a water bottle. We sat in silence as I drank the water, then handed it back to him.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"I know. Me too." He replied. "It's amazing what this arena can do to you." He sarcastically laughed and shook his head.

I stood up. "We should get going."

He jumped up beside me and we started to walk in the same direction we had headed in before.

After a moment of silence I spoke up again. "Really though Haymitch. Where are we going?"

He thought for a second, then then sighed. "I'm not really sure. You just have to trust me."

"Trust you?" I was skeptical, but my heart told me to trust him.

"Trust me."

"Fine," I relented, "I'll trust you."

He looked over at me and smiled.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, then he surprised me. "Not to be insensitive, but would you be willing to tell me what happened to Helena?"

I stopped as her death came pouring back to me. A lone tear trickled down my face, but it still whispered. "It's all poison. Even the flowers. She was trying to make a point and then she... She... She just fell, and I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't do anything to help her." Feeling numb I kept walking, only to realize Haymitch had stopped. I turned around to face him, and he slowly walked until he was standing in front of me. Awkwardly he gave me a hug, and I let myself sink in to it.

I almost didn't hear him whisper, "I'm sorry."

I pulled back and looked up at him. "Haymitch," I blinked, and his smile melted, "did we make a mistake?"

"What do you mean?" He looked confused.

"Should we have stayed allies?"

He was silent. "I don't know. Obviously it doesn't matter now, but to be honest, I don't think it would have made a difference. We might not have even survived that long together."

I smiled a bit, then pulled away. "Maybe you're right."

"Maybe?" He laughed. "Of course I'm right. I always right."

I giggled and punched him in the arm, then grabbed his hand to drag him along the little path we were making.

"C'mon, let's go get lost. I hope you're always right about directions too."

...

We stumbled through the woods for a few more hours before coming across a very familiar clearing.

"I recognize this place." Haymitch stopped and stared for a moment.

_Far below us, another tribute walked into the clearing. They stopped and started to look around._

_"Hide, Helena. There's no sense in both of us dying." I hissed. Reluctantly, she disappeared back into the tree._

_The stranger had caught sight of my bag and was now looking through it. As they searched I used my foot to feel around for another branch._

_CRACK. The stranger's head flew up, and I could tell that they had seen me dangling from the branches. I closed my eyes and braced myself for my inevitable death. Seconds passed. They slowly turned into minutes, and still I hung from that branch, tired and sore, but alive._

_I started as an arm grabbed me around the waist. Knowing it was the stranger from below I started to thrash about, hoping I could shake them off._

_"Hold still." A familiar voice hissed up. My eyes flew open in shock and I looked down. Sure enough, Haymitch was standing below me._

_"Helena." I whispered. "C'mere."_

_Her face appeared through the branches. "Help me up."_

_Slowly, I was pushed and pulled up into the tree. A shocked Helena pulled me into a hug, which was only broken by a thump as something was hurled into the tree._

_Helena grabbed it an studied it for a moment. "Our weapons."_

_Once again I peered through the leaves, but already Haymitch had disappeared, leaving us alone in the arena once again._

"The first night in the arena." I whispered.

"Oh. OH."

I stared at him blankly. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why did you help me. You could have just left me to die." I shrugged nonchalantly.

He stared at me for a moment, then looked back at the ground. After a moment he looked back at me.

"I'm not sure." His eyes glazed, he stared into the distance.

I bent over and pretended to study something on the ground.

"You're my friend. We might not have been allies, but you were my friend. I couldn't leave you hanging there. You would have died."

I shrugged and stood up, my back still to Haymitch. The wind rustled the trees above me and a small squeaking noise floated to my ears on the wind.

"May?"

I slowly turned around then screamed, "LOOK OUT!"

A fluffy golden squirrel had flung itself down from a tree above us landed on Haymitch's back. I frantically scrambled around trying to find the bag, which I had abandoned only moments before. After digging through it, I emerged with my blowdarts in hand and quickly fired a poison-laced dart into the squirrel's chest.

Haymtich, pale but still standing, smiled at me wanly and then pitched toward the ground. I stared in horror at his shredded back, which oozed blood all over the ground. Rushing to him I helped him up and dragged him into an upright position before taking off into the woods.

Onct hie we were a safe distance away I laid him out and stared at the cuts for a moment.

"Maysilee?" Haymitch sounded tired, so I bent to reassure him.

"I'm right here. You're going to be fine."

Grasping a straws, I tried to pull a distant memory out of the air. Suddenly struck with memory I reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of one of the leaves I had gathered in the forest. This leaf, I remembered from my brief stint at the plant table during training, helped to sterilize cuts. I chewed it up and smeared it over the cut, then used the torn strips of Haymitch's jumpsuit to bind the cut, finally securing it in the back with my mockingjay pin.

Knowing itwould be useless to try and move him now, I set up camp around us, and stayed awake guarding until a deep sleep overtook me.

...

I was startled awake hours later by Haymitch poking me in the side.

"Get up. Get up!" He murmured.

"NO." I slurred, the sat upright as I realized I had fallen asleep.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough. You look peaceful asleep. I couldn't resist waking you up." He smiled.

"Nice to see you're feeling better." I grumbled, before reluctantly smiling at him.

"You bet, sweetheart."

I stood up and grabbed my bag.

"Where to next, O Fearless Know-it-all?" I teased.

"Hmmmmmmm. There." He pointed. "No there." He pointed again.

My face dropped.

"I'm kidding sweetheart, take a joke. We're going this way." He grabbed my arm and started pulling me in the directin he had first pointed in.

After a minute of silence I looked at him again.

"We're good?" I asked.

"We're more than good sweetheart. Now less talking, more walking. We have a date with destiny."

...

**So ends the penultimate chapter of IATM. Next chapter? All deep conversation and then, well, you know what happens next. :( Last chapter! Oh, and so you aren't randomly checking this page, the next chapter will be up on or before the 2nd of February (ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE STORY!). Also, I have a new book blog, linked to under the Homepage section of my profile! Check it out (It's actually going to be looked after)! And as always, REVIEW! Love you guys :D 3**


	16. Goodbye, I Love You

**Without further ado, I present to you the final chapter of I am the Mockingjay. (All lines written by Suzanne Collins were written by ****Suzanne Collins)**

As the days started to stream past, we kept stumbling through the forest towards our final destination. Haymitch was slowly healing. We were happy. We were together. There were only four more left to die.

It was a strange thing, knowing you were going to die. But I was sure that if I had to live my last few days, I was glad Haymitch could be there.

"How are you feeling?" I looked at Haymitch as we traipsed through the tangled roots.

"I'm not sure. Physically I'm fine, but I'm not perfect mentally. It's an odd feeling." He sighed

"So it is." I whispered, "So it is."

And it was. Although we had moved past the initial awkwardness of our new friendship, there was always the unspoken truth hanging about us.

"Do you want me to take a look at your back?"

He stopped and sat down on a stump. "Sure. May as well eat while we're here too."

We sat down in silence and I began to unwrap his back. Where there had once been deep gashes there were now only bright pink patches of skin.

"You're almost good to go." I wrapped his back up once again and patted him to let him know he could turn around.

"Thanks, sweetheart." He grimaced.

"My pleasure. They're almost ready to come off." I smiled sweetly.

Once we had finished we stood up and once again started to move. We hadn't gone far before I stumbled over a root and flailed a bit, grabbing Haymitch's arm on the way down.

We crashed into a huge bush, him pinning me down. I looked up and was surprised to see that the bush seemed almost hollowed out and left enough room for us both to sit comfortably. I looked back at Haymitch, only to see him staring at my chest.

I loosened my arm from underneath him and smacked him across the head. "Ew! You stupid perv."

He looked up. "What? Oh. Sorry. I was just wondering..."

"Wondering..."

"Where did your pin go?"

"My pin?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, the mockingjay one."

"Oh. THAT pin." I reached behind his back and unpinned the pin, slowly unthreading it from the bandages before I showed it to him. "It's right here. It was holding your bandages, but they're about ready to come off now."

"Makes sense." He rolled off me and sat up, leaning his back against the cocoon of branches that enveloped us.

For a silent moment I turned the pin over in my hand, contemplating. Then I surprised myself by grabbing his hand. I unfurled it and gently laid the gold pin in his hand before closing his fingers over it. All was quiet for one moment while my hands still rested on his, but when I pulled away he stared at me.

"I can't take this." His voice was surprisingly quiet.

"Please. For me?"

"Why?" The one silent word broke my heart.

"Because you're going to go home. You'll beat the odds. You're not a mockingjay, but you'll live." I smiled as a tear slipped down my face. "Me? I'll... I am the mockingjay. We all are. The thing is, we're the lucky ones. You, you'll have to go home, grow up, watch more kids die, but me? And Helena? We don't have to. We won't have to see our kids get reaped and watch them die. We're the lucky ones who get to escape the Capitol, just like they did." I gestured to the pin. "But hopefully you'll remember me, and you'll be able to keep on living for all of the people who have to die. And someday I know you're going to change it, because you can stand up."

We lapsed into silence, then he broke it. "I wish we could both go home."

I leaned over and wrapped my arms around him. "Either way we are."

After a while I pulled back. "You'll be fine, I promise."

I was only met with silence.

"Can you promise me something Haymitch?"

"Anything sweetheart."

"Don't forget about me."

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. "I couldn't if I tried."

We both smiled.

"Can you give the pin to my sister? I didn't even get to say goodbye to her, and... And... And..." I couldn't finish.

"I will."

"Thank you Haymitch."

We sat for what seemed like hours before Haymitch made his way out of the bush.

"We need to keep going."

I crawled out as well. "Right."

He started walking and I trailed after him, wondering exactly how the day would unfold.

...

"Haymitch?"

"Yeah."

"What do you think you'd miss the most?"

He looked sideways at me. "If I died?"

"Yeah." I shrugged.

He pondered for a moment. "My brother. Hunting. My mom. Greasy Sae." I smiled at that one. "And you."

"Me?" I was honestly shocked.

"Yeah, sweetheart, you're my girl." He chuckled. "You sound surprised."

"Never in a million years did I think I would ever hear _you_ say that to a girl, Haymitch Abernathy." I teased

"Well I wouldn't exactly be saying that to a guy now would I. Then it'd be my boy." He joked back and I laughed.

"In all seriousness though, you'd actually miss me?"

"Of course." He stopped. "What about you?"

I started walking again. "My sister. My parents. Aurelia. You." I paused. "And, as bad as District 12 would be, I think I would miss having the chance to grow up, you know? The chance to get married and have kids, or see my sister's kids. It sucks that I'm never going to see how everyone is going to turn out."

Haymitch slung his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.

Our conversation was cut short as we stepped out of the trees and into broad daylight. In a clearing we had already passed through three times.

"Haymitch, explain where we are going, NOW." I stop and he stared at me. "I said now. I'm not going anywhere else until you tell me why we are walking in a straight line."

"Fine." He relents with a sigh. "Because it has to end somewhere, right?" I stare at him, puzzled. "The arena can't go on forever."

I was absolutely stumped. Why on earth would he want to find the end of the arena? "What do you expect to find?"

He shrugged. "What do you expect to find?"

"I don't know. But maybe there's something we can use."

Finally I relented and we kept walking in our straight line, off into the distance.

...

As the hours passed and we kept walking and talking a nagging feeling started prodding me. Although we hadn't heard any cannons, we could have easily missed them, lost in a racket of birds, or the bubbling of the stream.

When we finally broke through the last barrier separating us from the end of the arena and I found myself staring at a dry flat piece of earth ending in a cliff I knew what I had to do. One look on Haymitch's face told me he did too. As we peered over the cliff into the murky blackness below I took a deep breath and started to speak.

"That's all there is Haymitch. Let's go back."

He looked at me with a hard determined look on his face. "No." He said simply. "I'm staying here." The unspoken invitation hung heavily in the air.

I knew what I had to do, and quickly resigned myself to it. "All right. There's only five of us left. May as well say goodbye now, anyway." I tried to sound nonchalant but quickly cracked. Quietly I finished. "I don't want it to come down to you and me."

"Okay." He agreed, and I waited for him to say goodbye, say anything, but the silence just hung there. Finally, when he wouldn't even look at me anymore I turned around and walked away, no looking back.

I walk for merely minutes before I stopped in a clearing, hopelessly lost, to watch the sun, the trees and the birds perched all around me.

I was calm.

Then it began.

The birds swooped down and swirled around me and I screamed in absolute terror. I knew he wouldn't come.

But he did, and just as he caught sight of me a horrible pain rippled through my body, and I was horrified to feel myself crumple to the ground. Detachedly I watched as the birds flew off and Haymitch rushed over to me and collapsed at my side.

"Haymitch." I whispered. "You came back for me."

"Of course I did. Just hold on, you'll be fine." He tried to smile, but we both knew he was lying.

"Haymitch, remember what you promised me."

"Don't talk Maysilee." He leaned over me and I felt him grab my hand.

"Haymitch." I could barely speak.

"What?" He looked into my eyes one last time.

I whispered, quietly enough that I knew the microphones would miss it, and he would be the only person to ever hear it.

"I love you."

And so, with Haymitch holding my hand and my eyes locked on his, the world slowly faded to black.

...

**Quick Author's Note! Thank you to everyone who read this story, and to SkyWriter9 and KoalaKoala9836 who helped me so much with this story. I'm sorry it couldn't end on a happier note, but so went the story. So, I will leave you, and I truly jope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Also, I hope you're actually reading this so I don't look dumb for writing it. And as always... Review!**


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